Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer Jason Taylor gave thanks to many who helped him reach the pinnacle of professional football. But the three most emotional periods during his 32-minute speech Saturday occurred when Taylor showed gratitude to his mother, his children and former agent Gary Wichard, who died in 2011.

Taylor choked up three times during his stellar and memorable Hall of Fame speech. First, he shared details of his personal upbringing, including never meeting his father and growing up in Section 8 housing, while his mother worked multiple jobs to keep his family together.

"No one deserves more appreciation than my mother, Georgia Taylor," Taylor said. "I owe you everything, Mom. I played 15 NFL seasons, but the toughest person I've ever met in my life is right there. I'm serious."

Talking directly to his three children, a tearful Taylor added, "There is no better job in the world than being a father."

Taylor also explained his close relationship with Wichard before his death six years ago.

"He was my agent, but he was so much more," Taylor said after a long pause. "He was a dear friend, he was an adviser, he was a mentor, and he was truly the father I never had. No one believed in me the way Gary did."

Taylor made the Hall of Fame on the first ballot after helping to change the mold of pass-rushing defensive ends. Initially, Taylor was thought to be too skinny and too wiry to hold up in the NFL. But 15 seasons and 139.5 career sacks later, Taylor retired as the prototype at defensive end that is prevalent in today's league.

Taylor celebrated his Hall of Fame moment close to home. Canton is just two hours from Taylor's hometown of Pittsburgh and 24 miles from the University of Akron, where he played college football and became a third-round pick.

Jimmy Johnson was the coach in Miami who drafted Taylor in the third round in 1997. Johnson had a profound impact on Taylor's career and introduced the Hall of Famer on Saturday.

"Studying Jason Taylor, he reminded me a lot of another Pro Football Hall of Famer in Charles Haley, who I had in Dallas," Johnson said. "Jason was an undersized defensive end with great speed, quickness, intelligence. So I said this would be a similar-type player, and that's the way it turned out."

In an interview last week with the Miami media, Taylor said the toughest players he faced were offensive tackles Richmond Webb (in practice), Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones and Orlando Pace. The latter three are in the Hall of Fame, along with Taylor, and the former defensive end said he doesn't understand why Webb also isn't among that group.

Taylor also mentioned two moments that stood out in his career -- his 2006 season, when he won Defensive Player of the Year, and his final game in 2011.

"We won the game, which was important," Taylor said. "That was all I cared about. We have to go out with a win. I didn't want to come back the next year and try to get another win. Winning that game and being carried off the field was [special]."

Defensive teammates Cameron Wake, Paul Soliai and Kendall Langford picked Taylor up and carried him off the field at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Taylor, 42, hasn't had thoughts of returning.

But what is his next step? If the newly minted Hall of Famer has his druthers, it will be contributing in some fashion to the Dolphins organization.

"I'd love it. ... I love where the organization is and where it's going," Taylor said.

A host of former Dolphins and ex-teammates made the trip to support Taylor. Among them were fellow Hall of Famer Dan Marino, former defensive tackle Tim Bowens, former cornerbacks Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain, and Wake, whom Taylor has mentored.