Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor is set to play on the final season of the three-year, $42M contract extension that included $26.5M guaranteed he signed in the fall of 2023.
Thus, Taylor’s future with the Colts has understandably sparked discussions among members of the NFL community ahead of the league’s summer break. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Taylor made it clear that he wants to remain with the club that drafted him in 2020.
Jonathan Taylor views Colts as a “special place”
“From college, coming here, you grow up in college a little bit into a young man,” Taylor explained, as shared by Colts radio announcer Matt Taylor. “And then now, growing into, like an adult, this is like a third home of mine. So, I’ve definitely expressed that, and hopefully they feel the same, because this is a special place.”
As Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper noted, the Colts granted Taylor permission to seek a trade during the 2023 preseason. Taylor then didn’t play until Week 5 of the campaign and until after he received his contract extension.
Before Taylor met with media members, a Wednesday report revealed that he “has a strong preference for getting a deal done before the expiration of his current contract.” According to Stephen Holder of ESPN, Taylor confirmed that he “prefers to sign a deal ahead of this season” but doesn’t know “where things will wind up” later this summer.
Jonathan Taylor asks to become a “Colt for life”
“I’ve already expressed how I wanna be a Colt for life,” Taylor added. “…Hopefully, they feel the same. Like I said, Indianapolis, not only the team, but the city, is a special place.”
With Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones still recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered this past December, Taylor is on track to enter the regular season as arguably Indianapolis’ most important offensive player. That said, it remains to be seen how Taylor will react if he doesn’t receive an extension offer to his liking before training camp gets underway in late July.