Indianapolis – Jonathan Taylor took the handoff and made a split-second field sweep. The Indianapolis Colts’ All-Pro back saw nothing but a sea of white jerseys—the ones the New England Patriots wore.
There were eight of them in the tackle area, every defender focused squarely on Taylor. With the Colts protecting a three-point lead with two minutes remaining, and with two defensemen waiting for the only run lane, Taylor was left to improvise. He darted hard in one direction to make one attacker miss, then jerked the other way to free him from the second.
Control arm motions produced a tiny sliver of space, enough for the elusive Taylor to cut through its defense for a staggering 67-yard touchdown in a December 18, 2021 victory. For Taylor, it was the defining season-defining picture of his career by a player who seemed to be trying to be considered the best in the game. Back in the game.
“What he’s doing now,” Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard said afterward, “There’s no doubt that he is [NFL] MVP. “
The only questions facing Taylor at the time were whether he could, in fact, win the NFL’s top honor or reach the holy grail of 2,000 rushing yards (he fell short on both counts).
But there is a much different set of questions facing Taylor today.
He’s coming off the most challenging football season of his life, one marred by an ankle injury that turned into a shell, and a four-win season that took a mental toll.
Last season, Taylor said, “You taught me that I’m beautiful and beautiful and mentally tough. You never want to go through a season and think, ‘Why is this happening?’ Not just individually, but collectively as a team.”
It was a season unlike any Taylor had experienced. Before he was finally placed on injured reserve on December 20, the ankle injury persisted and was always a reality.
The inconsistency of his offensive line and linebackers meant that defenders in the Colts’ offensive backfield were also an ever-present reality.
The consequence? Taylor has seen his performance drop sharply, one season after trying to set records in 2021. After averaging 106.5 yards per game in 2021, Taylor averaged just 78.3 yards last season. He was limited to 11 games due to injury, but had only two 100-yard performances after recording 10 the previous year (the Colts are 13-1-1 when Taylor runs for 100 yards or more).
Taylor’s league-high 1,811 yards in 2021 was a single-season franchise record, topping Hall of Famer Edgerrin James’ 1,709 yards in 2000. It was among the most notable individual efforts in franchise history, one that included a career-best 18 rushing yards. NFL relegation.
But now, a player who didn’t miss a game until last season due to injury in his high school, college, or professional career must re-establish himself during a pivotal year for the Colts. They got a new coach in Shane Steichen and – just as importantly – a new quarterback in the fourth overall draft pick Anthony Richardson.
Taylor proved he could be a stabilizing force for the Colts. But this can only be true if he reverts to his old form and regains his rare blast. He is still recovering from ankle surgery to treat his injury and did not participate in the team’s recent offseason practices.
Ponies can’t rush this one, but this is very clear: The stakes are high.
“I’m excited because it’s 2023, so we have another chance,” Taylor said. “…you have another chance to write another page in your book. What are you going to do? What will this chapter be like?”
Taylor will have a lot to say about the Colts’ next season. While Steichen said he wants to install an aggressive passing attack, there is an understanding that Richardson’s dual threat ability will be an asset to the team’s running game. Threatening the quarterback to rip off a big run should, in theory, make Taylor more effective when he does get the ball.
The Colts have been ranked among the NFL’s top 10 in rushing attempts, rushing yards and explosive runs since 2018, a reversal of the grueling scheme used by former head coach Frank Reich. It remains to be seen if Steichen is equally committed to the escape. But Taylor has proven that he specializes in the big games, and increasing explosive plays is ultimately Steichen’s goal.
No NFL player had 10 or more rushing yards than Taylor in 2020 and 2021 — the two seasons he’s been healthy. His 85 runs during that period accounted for more than 15.1% of his total carries.
For Taylor, it has always been more about quality than quantity.
“Less can be more,” he said of his touches in 2023. “All I know is we’re going to have to be efficient. No matter if we run the ball a lot, you better be efficient. If you throw the ball more, you better be efficient.”
There is another subplot to note as Taylor continues his comeback. His setback last season was particularly ill-timed given that he is in line for a possible contract extension this off-season. A second-round draft pick in 2020, Taylor is scheduled to go into free agency after the season. The Colts mooted the idea of extending it early. And Taylor is presumably eyeing a new deal, too, if his decision to change agents recently is any indication (he’s now represented by First Round Management, the same agency that represents Leonard).
Taylor insists it wouldn’t be a problem if he went into the season without a new deal.
“It wouldn’t be a distraction for me,” he said. “I’m under contract here for four years. I put pen to paper. So, this is where I am now. I made a commitment to them. They made a commitment to me. Things will happen naturally.”
But the truth is, Taylor’s poor performance last season could make negotiations difficult. Running backs are no longer valued as much as they once were, especially running backs after injuries.
Some context on the current standings of the position: Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers is the NFL’s highest-paid player with an average salary of just over $16 million per season. But by this metric it ranks 102nd in the leagues.
For another indication of how difficult it will be to land a fair deal for Taylor, just look at the New York Giants’ negotiation with Saquon Barkley. The former #2 draft pick was awarded the franchise’s tag this season and hasn’t been able to land a long-term deal despite a career-high 1,312 yards in 2022.
Will Taylor get it? Will he regain the form that put him among the elite players in his position?
For Taylor, the questions keep coming.