Terez A. Elliott - Paylor

TEREZ A. PAYLOR
REFLECTIONS OF LIFE

Terez Anton Elliott-Paylor was born to his parents Sharmyn Elliott and Ava Paylor-Elliott on January 28, 1984. In his early years, Terez attended Fellowship Chapel Church in Detroit, Michigan where he was active in the Isuthu Training Institute - a “Boys to Men Development and Rites of Passage” program which helped establish the foundation for his commitment to community service and mentoring others.

During his developmental years as a youth in Detroit, Terez showed an enormous interest in all sports. He even went so far as to draw and construct stadiums for numerous teams from cardboard and construction paper. It was perceived that his chosen career path would be that of an engineer or architect. But GOD had other plans. He loved everything from Tee-ball, baseball and basketball at Gesu grade school, to football at University of Detroit Jesuit High School. He was a stellar student in high school and received numerous honors and awards.

It was during this time that Terez began to show a significant interest in professional sports to the point where he studied and gathered statistics on several football, baseball, and basketball teams and their players.

His passion for sports was on full display. During the college tours prior to graduating from high school, Terez declared that his major would be sports journalism. Upon being heavily recruited by numerous colleges and after careful consideration, he selected Howard University in Washington, DC. He was also baptized in Washington, DC in 2004 at Ward Memorial AME-African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Upon arriving at Howard University, Terez swiftly became entrenched with print journalism. He was hired as a staff writer for the college newspaper, The Hilltop, the student voice of Howard University. Shortly thereafter, he was also contracted as a DC Correspondent for the “District Chronicles”, a young and independent publication. Howard University’s radio station “Glasshouse Radio” served as a training ground for podcasting and webcasting experience, as well.

There is no doubt that his positive experiences during his formative years and his four-years at U of D taught him to appreciate the value and benefit of preparation, study, and hard-work; not to mention teamwork and camaraderie, as evidenced by the life-long friendships that were developed and maintained by him and many of his teammates long after graduating high school in 2002.

Terez graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Print Journalism from Howard University in 2006. Upon graduation, he relocated to Kansas City, MO joining the Kansas City Star newspaper organization. During his 15-year tenure in KCMO, he developed a deep affinity for the city he would come to call “home”.

He worked at the KC Star for 12 years and contributed to numerous Top 10 award-winning projects. Terez was lovingly referred to as “The People’s Champ” by the KC fan base. During this period, he covered high school sports; the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League; progressed to the Sporting KC beat covering Major League Soccer; and was then promoted to become the first Black sportswriter to cover the University of Missouri (MIZZOU) athletics program for 19 months for the newspaper. A trailblazer, indeed.

Because of his tireless commitment and proven record of excellence, in September 2013, he fulfilled his life’s dream of becoming a National Football League (NFL) sportswriter and was assigned to the Kansas City Chiefs beat. According to the KC Star, Terez quickly established himself as an authoritative voice locally and nationally with stellar wall-to-wall coverage of Kansas City’s NFL team and the rest of the league.

In April 2018, Terez advanced to a national position with Yahoo Sports as a Senior NFL writer. He also hosted a weekly radio program on 610 Sports Radio ..."The Terez Paylor Show" and was a regular contributor to the KC Chiefs coverage at 41 Action News in Kansas City. Additionally, he made frequent guest appearances on various nationally syndicated television and radio shows. He also co-hosted weekly NFL Yahoo football podcasts with fellow senior NFL reporter, Charles Robinson.

In the Spring of 2020, Terez explained to Yahoo Sports podcast listeners why NFL players had taken on social-justice issues while kneeling at games. He also highlighted the significance of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minnesota policeman.

Terez was selected to become a member of the distinguished NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee and was the youngest voter/selector. He courageously advocated for NFL players of diverse backgrounds, with compelling arguments for some to be considered and ultimately selected for the industry honor.

In 2018, he joined fellow Howard alum and longtime NFL defensive back Antoine Bethea in writing his book and personal story "Bet On Yourself: Inside the Mind of the Ultimate Underdog". Terez’s affiliations include NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and Howard University – Gentlemen of Drew (GOD). He was also honored as a Contributor by the Associated Press Sports Editors organization.

Terez lived his life by the inherent values taught early in life and instilled in him at the Isuthu Institute and the University of Detroit - Jesuit High School of being a “Man for Others.” He frequently made contributions to numerous charitable and humanitarian organizations. Some of which include Howard University (annual donation), the Sekou Smith Journalism Endowed Scholarship Award (Jackson State University) and Harvester Community Food Network. Last year, he provided 1500 Thanksgiving meals for those in need.

He was wise beyond his years, deeply passionate and committed to living his best life by satisfying his desire - personally and professionally, to make his family and loved ones proud of the man he became.

Terez met the “love of his life”, Ebony Reed, in 2016. As they were making future plans to marry, the pandemic forced a delay and rearrangement of this intention. They were partners in the true sense. Always acknowledging God’s blessings in how they were made for one another.

Terez’s legacy of philanthropy, social justice, mentoring, sharing, caring and love for others was a testament to the way he lived his life. His tremendous body of journalistic work in both print and multi-media demonstrates the impact his footprint leaves behind. This is being witnessed by the outpouring of love, support, personal tributes and testimonies received from family, friends, colleagues, fans, interview subjects, and acquaintances from around the country.

It is our hope that Terez’s legacy will live on and inspire future black sports journalists to employ the tenacity and perseverance that he epitomized, and to uphold the values he embodied by committing to be the best they can possibly be and to “never be outworked.”

Terez leaves to cherish his loving memories….His proud and devoted parents, Sharmyn Elliott and Ava Paylor-Elliott; Grandmother, affectionately known as “Nonna a.k.a Nons”, Marion Pegues; Siblings: Traci Farrell and Torri Elliott; uncles (aunts); nieces and one nephew; Ebony Reed, fiancée; and a host of cousins, family and friends.

Special Acknowledgements:
- Ebony Reed
- Howard University
- Wall Street Journal
- Yahoo
- KC Star