taylor signs extension

[Oldcolt]

JT signed a two year 44 million (39 guaranteed) extension. Little more than i would have liked but reasonable and only 2 years so the next GM can make their own decisions.

[Colts And Orioles]

o


Jonathan Taylor Agrees to a 2-Year Extension With the Colts

(By James Boyd)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/736...act-extension/



Jonathan Taylor said that he wanted to be an Indianapolis “Colt for life.” Now the star running back is one step closer to turning that dream into reality. Taylor agreed to a 2-year, $44 million contract extension on Thursday with the Colts, according to league sources who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The deal is potentially worth up to $47 Million and includes $39 Million guaranteed. Taylor will now be under contract with the team through the 2028 season.

Taylor was entering the final year of a 3-year, $42 Million contract extension that he inked in October of 2023. That lucrative deal came after a public and sometimes bitter back-and-forth between Taylor and his agent, Malki Kawa, and late Colts owner Jim Irsay. Taylor and Irsay even exchanged verbal jabs via social media before Taylor landed a new deal. This time around, the negotiations went a lot smoother, as the 2020 2nd-round pick participated in training camp and was rewarded with a 3rd contract from the team that drafted him, which is an increasing rarity for running backs.

The new deal puts Taylor at $22 Million in terms of average annual salary, second among running backs. He trails only the Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson ($22.25 Million.)

Robinson agreed to a 3-year, $66.8 Million deal on Tuesday. Taylor was notified of Robinson’s contract after practice, and while he said that he was thrilled for another running back to get paid, he also acknowledged his own negotiations.

“I've got to go talk to my agent, too,” Taylor said onTuesday “ …... I have faith, so I’m going to tap in and check in with him, now that you guys broke the news to me.”

2 days later, Taylor was rewarded with a new contract. The agreement is not a surprise, since Colts principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon and GM Chris Ballard have praised Taylor this off-season. Both referred to him as a franchise pillar.

“I would definitely love to be a Colt for life. I think that I’ve already expressed that to them throughout the years,” Taylor said during minicamp in June …... hopefully they feel the same way because this is a special place. Not every building is like this, and I’ve heard some stories now, especially from guys coming from other places ...... it’s not like this elsewhere.”

The 27 year-old Taylor is coming off an impressive 2025 campaign that at one point had him in the league MVP conversation ...... he appeared in every game while registering 1,585 rushing yards, his most in a season since earning a 1st-team All-Pro nod in 2021. Additionally, Taylor’s league-leading 20 total TD's (18 rushing and 2 receiving) last year are tied with Hall-of-Famer Lenny Moore for the most in a single-season in Colts franchise history, which spans 73 seasons from 1953 through the Present. Taylor is the only Colts player to reach that threshold twice (2021 and 2025.)

Taylor’s new deal confirms that the Colts view him as a part of their long-term future, even if the man who brought him to Indianapolis may not be around. Ballard is entering the final year of his contract, and it’s fair to consider that if Indianapolis misses the playoffs for a 6th straight season, Ballard could be relieved of his duties.

Ballard traded up 3 spots to select Taylor with the No. 41 pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The former Wisconsin standout has had some durability issues throughout his pro career, missing at least 3 games in each of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. Despite those absences, Taylor has still emerged as one of the league’s premier running backs.

Taylor’s career average of 90.5 rushing yards per game is the most among active players, and ranks 5th all-time behind Hall-of-Famers Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and Eric Dickerson, respectively. Taylor, a 3-time Pro Bowler, ranks 1st in Colts history with 69 rushing TDs. His 7,598 rushing yards are 2nd in franchise history, with only to Hall-of-Famer Edgerrin James (9,226) having more.

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