Collins said he did think about wearing No. 36, Taylor's rookie number, but knew Taylor never wanted to wear that number long-term.

"If you really think about it, if he wanted to be 36, he'd be still wearing the number to the end of his career," Collins said.

Collins admitted he thought Taylor's number was already retired when he signed with the Redskins, "so I never assumed I would be able to wear the number," he said. "Hearing from the fans that it's not officially retired, I was like, 'That's crazy,' but in the back of my head I was never trying to [sign with] the Redskins to get the number."

At his introductory press conference, Collins said that Taylor had been an impactful part of his life since middle school, when he started watching him play. The new Redskins safety, reflecting further on what would have been Taylor's 36th birthday on Monday, shared his feelings on a heart-heavy day.