If you look up the word "workhorse", there's a good chance you'll come across a picture of Jonathan Taylor. The running back has built up a reputation across the NFL as one of the best high-volume running backs, and last season solidified just how dominant he can be.
In 2024, Taylor was one of six running backs in the NFL to carry the ball over 300 times – 303, to be exact – and one of two running backs (Saquon Barkley) to have multiple rushing touchdowns of 65 yards or more. In total, Taylor tallied 1,431 rushing yards for 11 touchdowns – and that's with missing three games due to an ankle injury.
Taylor played 65.4 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps, without a whole lot of depth in the running back room. This season, thanks to the additions of free agent Khalil Herbert and rookie DJ Giddens, there is more depth behind Taylor, but he's still committed to being that bell cow running back he's established himself as.
The sixth-year running back is also committed to being a leader, on and off the field. With the quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, Taylor will have a crucial in the backfield as a reliable and experienced running back and, at this point, one of the longest-tenured members of the Colts' offense.
"You definitely want to be able to have your team lean on you," Taylor said Tuesday. "But this is nothing that I'm not used to, you know, ever since high school. It's all about being prepared coming into the season, working throughout training camp to be able to carry that load throughout the season. And we got a room full of backs. We got a lot of juice in that room, so I'm sure we're up for the task."
There's no question the quarterback competition affects the running backs, just like it affects the wide receivers and the offensive linemen, all in different ways. For Taylor and the rest of the running backs, it's all about learning how each quarterback plays and how they can best support them on every play.
"We need to make sure that whoever is back there with us, we need to make sure that we mesh with them," Taylor explained. "We need to make sure whatever we're doing is making their job as easy as possible, however that looks. Whatever we can do to make their job as easy as possible, that's what we're there for."
