Brent Carden photos
Submitted by CJ Taylor
First, I want to say how honored and humbled I am to be receiving this recognition. Having my No. 1 retired is something I don't think I'll ever be able to put completely into words.
When I look at this jersey, I don't just see a number - I see a lifetime of football. I see the little kid who first fell in love with the game. I see the early mornings, the long practices, the weight room, the Friday nights, the wins, the losses, the injuries, the lessons, and all the people who helped me along the way.
Football gave me so much more than just a game to play. It gave me people who believed in me, coaches who pushed me, teammates who became family and memories I'll carry for the rest of my life.
But there is one person I wish more than anyone could be there with me —my late brother. I wish he could see this. I wish I could look over and see him in the stands and tell him what this night means to me.
But even though he isn't here physically, I know he's been a part of this journey. Every time I put that helmet on, every time I ran onto that field, every time I faced a challenge, I carried him with me.
So when I look at that #1, I won't just see my name. I'll see his, too.
I also have to thank my mom. Because none of this—absolutely none of it—is possible without her. People see Friday nights. They see the lights, the crowds, the touchdowns, the tackles, the wins, and the jersey.
They don't always see what it took to get there.
My mom made sacrifices for me every single day. She sacrificed her time. She sacrificed her sleep. She sacrificed things she wanted for herself so that I could have opportunities to chase my dreams. She was there for the practices, the games, the good days, and the bad days.
She believed in me before anybody knew what I could become.
Mom, I hope you know that this isn't just my accomplishment. It's yours, too.
Every time I put on that #1, there was a part of you in it. You helped get me to every field, every practice, every game, and every moment that made this night possible.
I could never repay you for everything you've done for me, but I hope tonight is one small way of saying thank you.
CJ Taylor is already a legend in Warren County. His legacy will be cemented during a jersey retirement next week.
I also want to thank the coaches who helped build me into the football player and the man I became.
Coach Elrod, you coached me when I was little. You were there near the beginning of my football journey, before I could have ever imagined having my number retired. You helped teach me the game and gave me an early foundation that stayed with me.
Coach Bond and Coach Sullens, thank you for the time, effort, and belief you gave me. Football is a game that teaches you that no one gets anywhere alone, and every coach who takes the time to invest in a player leaves a mark on that player's life.
And Coach Turner, I want to especially thank you.
You helped shape my football career in a way that nobody else could.
You saw something in me, and you pushed me to become more than what I thought I could be. You challenged me when I needed to be challenged. You held me accountable. You demanded more from me.
But more importantly, you taught me things that went beyond football.
You taught me about work ethic. You taught me about toughness. You taught me about preparation, discipline, and what it means to show up every day and earn what you want.
There were probably times when I didn't appreciate those lessons as much as I should have.
But looking back now, I understand.
A coach's job isn't just to prepare you for Friday night.
It's to prepare you for life.
And Coach Turner, you did that for me.
I'll always be thankful that you were part of my story and that you helped shape the career I was able to have.
And to Warren County, thank you for giving me the opportunity to play football here.
Thank you for giving me a place to grow up, compete, make friendships, make mistakes, learn lessons, and create memories that I'll never forget.
It was an honor to put on that uniform and represent Warren County.
Football taught me that the name on the back of your jersey matters a lot less than the people standing beside you. It’s the teammates. The coaches. The family. The community. The people who believe in you when nobody else is watching.
That's what #1 means to me.
It's not just a number - It's every person who helped me get here. It's my brother. It's my mom. It's Coach Elrod. It's Coach Bond. It's Coach Sullens. It's Coach Turner. It's my teammates. It's Warren County.
And it's every person who ever stood on the sideline, sat in the stands, drove me to practice, encouraged me, challenged me, or simply told me to keep going. My number is being retired, but the memories of playing football will never be retired from my heart.
I will always be proud that I got to wear #1. And I'll always be grateful that I got to play this game.
To my brother, I hope you're looking down tonight.
To my mom, thank you for every sacrifice.
To my coaches, thank you for every lesson.
And to Warren County, thank you for giving me the opportunity. This number may have been on my back, but I never carried it alone.
