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INDIANAPOLIS — The last time Jonathan Taylor was headed into the final year of his contract, the negotiations between the Colts and one of the NFL’s best running backs played out in the public eye.
Three years later, Taylor is now headed into the final year of the three-year.
The goal remains the same.
“I would definitely love to be a Colt for life,” Taylor said. “I think I’ve already expressed that to them throughout the years.”
Taylor acknowledged he’s hopeful about the possibility of signing an extension.
But he struck a different tone than he did at mandatory minicamp three years ago, when Taylor clearly stated his belief in his value to the team and that the NFL needed to reverse its course on how it pays running backs.
The contract negotiations stretched deep into training camp, playing out publicly when former Colts owner Jim Irsay traded barbs with Taylor’s agent, Malki Kawa, over the running back’s value.
Taylor was not happy with the way that contract dispute was covered.
“Some people are going to run with the media narrative, some people won’t, but know that the true Indianapolis fans will be able to see through the weeds and understand exactly what’s going on,” Taylor said.
This time around, any hesitancy on the Colts’ part would likely be coming from the organization’s precarious position — a core mired in a five-year playoff drought is collectively coming to the end of its contractual obligations with the Colts — rather than any concerns about Taylor or the importance of his position.
The landscape for contracts at that position has changed. Philadelphia’s signing of Saquon Barkley and Baltimore’s signing of Derrick Henry have both paid off handsomely, even though those two running backs were well into their careers.
Taylor, still only 27, has proven he can provide that type of impact.
Taylor led the league in carries a year ago, but he’s coming off a 1,585-yard season, a 1,431-yard season the year before that and now has three Pro Bowls to his name. The Colts running back has twice pushed himself into MVP conversations in his career, a rarity in an era dominated by quarterbacks, even though Taylor’s MVP case fell off considerably in the second half of the season a year ago.
If there is a concern, it’s that Taylor is coming off back-to-back seasons with 300-plus carries, but he remains a tireless worker, passionate about recovery and preparing his body physically for the road ahead. While most of the Colts have been in Indianapolis for most of the offseason program, Taylor stayed away during some of the voluntary sessions, preferring to work with his trainer, Adam Boily of the System 8 in Florida.
Because of the way he prepares, Taylor remains confident in his ability to handle one of the NFL’s heaviest workloads. Taylor led the NFL with 323 carries in 2025.
“It starts immediately after the game, but also, in the offseason, you’ve got to find that balance of restoring the body and knowing how to pace yourself in order to build your body back up,” Taylor said.
Taylor is always in Indianapolis for mandatory minicamp, confident that he’s had time to train the areas he and Boily highlighted after the season.
He hopes a contract extension is coming with the only team he’s known in the NFL.
“This is like a third home,” Taylor said. “I’ve definitely expressed that, and I hope they feel the same, because this is a special place. Not every building is like this. I’ve heard some stories now, especially from people coming from other places.”
Taylor would prefer he doesn’t ever have to find out firsthand.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jonathan Taylor wants to be 'a Colt for life' heading into contract year
Continue reading...
Three years later, Taylor is now headed into the final year of the three-year.
The goal remains the same.
“I would definitely love to be a Colt for life,” Taylor said. “I think I’ve already expressed that to them throughout the years.”
Taylor acknowledged he’s hopeful about the possibility of signing an extension.
But he struck a different tone than he did at mandatory minicamp three years ago, when Taylor clearly stated his belief in his value to the team and that the NFL needed to reverse its course on how it pays running backs.
The contract negotiations stretched deep into training camp, playing out publicly when former Colts owner Jim Irsay traded barbs with Taylor’s agent, Malki Kawa, over the running back’s value.
Taylor was not happy with the way that contract dispute was covered.
“Some people are going to run with the media narrative, some people won’t, but know that the true Indianapolis fans will be able to see through the weeds and understand exactly what’s going on,” Taylor said.
This time around, any hesitancy on the Colts’ part would likely be coming from the organization’s precarious position — a core mired in a five-year playoff drought is collectively coming to the end of its contractual obligations with the Colts — rather than any concerns about Taylor or the importance of his position.
The landscape for contracts at that position has changed. Philadelphia’s signing of Saquon Barkley and Baltimore’s signing of Derrick Henry have both paid off handsomely, even though those two running backs were well into their careers.
Taylor, still only 27, has proven he can provide that type of impact.
Taylor led the league in carries a year ago, but he’s coming off a 1,585-yard season, a 1,431-yard season the year before that and now has three Pro Bowls to his name. The Colts running back has twice pushed himself into MVP conversations in his career, a rarity in an era dominated by quarterbacks, even though Taylor’s MVP case fell off considerably in the second half of the season a year ago.
If there is a concern, it’s that Taylor is coming off back-to-back seasons with 300-plus carries, but he remains a tireless worker, passionate about recovery and preparing his body physically for the road ahead. While most of the Colts have been in Indianapolis for most of the offseason program, Taylor stayed away during some of the voluntary sessions, preferring to work with his trainer, Adam Boily of the System 8 in Florida.
Because of the way he prepares, Taylor remains confident in his ability to handle one of the NFL’s heaviest workloads. Taylor led the NFL with 323 carries in 2025.
“It starts immediately after the game, but also, in the offseason, you’ve got to find that balance of restoring the body and knowing how to pace yourself in order to build your body back up,” Taylor said.
Taylor is always in Indianapolis for mandatory minicamp, confident that he’s had time to train the areas he and Boily highlighted after the season.
He hopes a contract extension is coming with the only team he’s known in the NFL.
“This is like a third home,” Taylor said. “I’ve definitely expressed that, and I hope they feel the same, because this is a special place. Not every building is like this. I’ve heard some stories now, especially from people coming from other places.”
Taylor would prefer he doesn’t ever have to find out firsthand.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jonathan Taylor wants to be 'a Colt for life' heading into contract year
Continue reading...
