Steve Taneyhill, a record-setting quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks best known for his distinct long-flowing mullet and his homerun swing after touchdown passes, has died. He was 52.
The South Carolina athletic department confirmed Monday through a close friend of Taneyhill’s that he died overnight in his sleep. No cause of death was provided.
Taneyhill led South Carolina to its first bowl victory in program history as a junior in 1994, defeating West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl.
Taneyhill, from Altoona, Pennsylvania, set school career records with 753 completions and 62 passing touchdowns and was second with 8,782 passing yards and seventh with a 60.5 completion percentage, according to the school. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
In four seasons, Taneyhill had eight 300-yard passing games including six during his senior season. He finished his career with the two highest passing yardage games, and three of the top four games, in school history: 471 yards vs. Mississippi State in 1995, 451 yards vs. East Carolina in 1994 and 405 yards against Georgia in 1995.
Taneyhill was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1997, but was released in the preseason and never played in the NFL.
He coached high school football and led Chesterfield High to the South Carolina state championship three straight seasons from 2007-09.
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FILE - South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill looks for a receiver during game action against Clemson Saturday, Nov. 18, 1995 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Lou Krasky, File)
EAST HANOVER, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams says the firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was “very unfortunate” and the players feel they played a role because of the defense's shortcomings this season.
Coach Aaron Glenn announced Monday he relieved Wilks of his duties a day after the Jets were blown out 48-20 at Jacksonville. Glenn said he decided a change was needed after the defense didn't show improvement a week after New York lost 34-10 to Miami.
“I mean, it’s very unfortunate, but the reality is we weren’t playing good as a defense,” Williams said Tuesday night after participating in a children's holiday shopping spree with several teammates. “And with him being the leader of the defense, I mean someone’s going to get it. Sad that it had to go down like that.”
Chris Harris, the team’s defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, will take over for Wilks as the interim coordinator.
“The mindset of these next three weeks is what is it going to look like as a team?” Williams said. “And like A.G. tells us all the time, every time we step out on the field, it’s an evaluation period.”
The Jets (3-11) head to New Orleans to play the Saints (4-10) on Sunday with their defense ranked 20th overall, 29th against the run, 12th vs. the pass and 30th in scoring. During the season, New York traded two of its top players in cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, Quincy's younger brother.
“Really just mostly feel like we took part in it just because we’re on the defense,” Quincy Williams said of the firing. “The biggest thing with me as a person, and I can talk for myself only, the call really doesn’t matter. You make the call come alive. So that’s just me being hard with myself and then also finding out where in the defense I could be better every single week.”
Williams, one of the leaders of the defense, chose to not speak to reporters after the loss to the Jaguars. One of the team's most media-friendly players, he said he had nothing positive to say after the game.
“I felt like it was the right thing to do for me and it was something that I decided to do on my own,” he said. “I mean, the biggest thing is, it’s better than me coming to y’all, telling you, ‘Hey, bro, just copy and paste the same thing I said last week.’ I mean, that’s a (lousy) response.
"So it’s more like, ‘Hey, I don’t really have any answers right now. I know the questions that you’re going to ask me, so let me take a look at the film, get back with you guys tomorrow and be able to give you a real answer instead of just saying the same old thing that we always say or the scripted version of it.'”
The 29-year-old Williams, an All-Pro in 2023, is having what he called “the worst season I've had, honestly.” He was benched briefly for underperforming before regaining his starting role.
He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, something Williams insists he's not thinking about. Williams added he likes playing for Glenn and appreciates his straightforward approach, especially after the shake-up on defense.
“He's being honest and let me know, like, hey, it’s a messed-up situation, but what are y’all going to do after that?” Williams said. “What’s going to be our response? Are we just going to continue going the last three weeks and lay on the ground? Or are we going to actually show them that next year is going be different?"
Williams, the Jets' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, joined teammates including center Josh Myers, safety Tony Adams, tight end Jeremy Ruckert and linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball in hosting 25 students from the Brooklyn Community Services’ Jets Academy at a Dick's Sporting Goods store. Each student received a $200 gift card funded by the Jets Foundation and Cash App.
“Every time I come in here, it’s something new,” said Williams, who has participated in the event the last few years. “My favorite thing about it is like, what are the kids are going to go grab first before I even tell them what they need to get? So just seeing their minds grow and then the reason why they pick the stuff.
"And then you get to a point where you're like, all right, let me step in and be a leader in here and persuade them to get some stuff that they actually need.”
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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) makes a catch for a touchdown against New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams (56) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
FILE - New York Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks walks onto the field before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, on Sept. 29, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File)
New York Jets center Josh Myers (71) and linebacker Quincy Williams (56) assist a student from the Brooklyn Community Services' Jets Academy during a holiday shopping spree at Dick's Sporting Goods in East Hanover, N.J., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Dennis Waszak Jr.)
