Never say never, and David Taylor just proved it. Just weeks ago, it seemed like Penn State wrestling legend David Taylor had retired for good. Yet, on Thursday, he stunned fans by announcing his return to compete at the World Team Trials in Omaha this weekend. Known for his three world titles and 2020 Olympic gold at 86 kg, Taylor is now stepping up to 92 kg.

An added advantage for the 33-year-old is that Olympic qualifiers won’t be competing, and he’s recently stayed sharp, having wrestled at the U.S. Olympic Trials five months ago. This comes on the heels of his surprising move to become the head coach at Oklahoma State earlier this year.

So why again? What made David Taylor decide to jump back into competition?

Well, in a recent interview shared on USA Wrestling’s YouTube channel, David Taylor explained that it wasn’t just about competing again. It was about leading by example. After spending time coaching and wrestling with his team, he felt a renewed passion for the sport. Taylor realized he wanted to show his athletes what it takes to compete at the highest level, inspiring him to lace up his shoes once more.

To make it clear, David Taylor explained, “You know, um, leaving State College after the trials, I was pretty content, um, with my career at that point. Um, you know, obviously you don’t ever want to—I’m a competitor, you know—so losing is no fun, you know. And this amazing opportunity comes available, to be the next head coach at Oklahoma State, and I was, uh, I was ready to be.”

Taylor explained that coaching reignited his passion for the sport in an unexpected way. After not wrestling much for a few years, he started training with the Oklahoma State team and quickly realized how much he had missed it. Surrounded by the energy and progress of his athletes, his mindset began to shift. He added, “Wrestling every day and talking to the guys about how we’re going to wrestle, and doing those techniques—by getting these reps, you know—I start to kind of be around the guys, and their level’s getting better. Organically, I was getting in pretty good shape.”

David Taylor wanted to show them firsthand what it meant to truly commit to the sport, something he felt he hadn’t fully done in his last competitive run. That renewed drive sparked the fire that ultimately led him back to competition. But can Taylor prove himself in the match?

David Taylor’s 2025 plans uncertain amid World Championship Trials

The university has not yet confirmed if David Taylor will extend his competitive career into 2025. Should he advance past Saturday’s preliminary rounds, Taylor will go head-to-head with 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia in a best-of-three series on Sunday to secure a place at the World Championships. It’s important to note that World Championships held during an Olympic year do not feature Olympic weight classes, and U.S. Olympic team members from Paris are ineligible to compete in these trials.

Before his recent loss to Aaron Brooks, Taylor had been undefeated against American competitors for seven years, including a sweep of Valencia for the 2022 World Championships spot at 86 kg. Although Taylor has moved up from 74 kg and 86 kg to 92 kg, he has never competed at this weight before. He joins a notable list of NCAA head coaches who have continued competing, like Cael Sanderson, who briefly returned to competitive wrestling in 2011 while coaching Taylor and finished fifth at the World Championships, and John Smith, who won Olympic gold in 1992 during his coaching tenure. It will surely be interesting to see Taylor making a significant impact.