Jonathan Taylor Wants to be 'Colt for Life,' Eyes Contract Extension Ahead of 2026 NFL Season

Jonathan Taylor, who is entering the final season on his current contract, wants to remain with the only NFL team he has ever known.

The Indianapolis Colts running back told reporters Wednesday he wants to sign a new deal ahead of the 2026 campaign despite a lack of clarity about where things stand at this point. He also said, "I'd love to be a Colt for life."

To say Taylor has lived up to expectations since Indianapolis selected him with a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft would be an understatement.

He has been one of the best running backs in the league with a resume that includes a First-Team All-Pro selection, three Pro Bowl nods and four seasons with more than 1,100 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns.

The Wisconsin product led the NFL in carries (323), rushing yards (1,811) and rushing touchdowns (18) in a brilliant 2021 campaign and was once again excellent this past season with 323 carries for 1,585 yards and 18 touchdowns to go with 46 catches for 378 yards and two touchdowns. 

Taylor led the league in carries and rushing touchdowns and set career-highs in catches and receiving yards.

It was a well-timed performance given his contract status, and he is still just 27 years old and performing at a high level. Both sides surely hope these negotiations go better than last time three years ago.

As Nick Shook of NFL.com noted, Taylor requested a trade in 2023 when he and the team did not initially come to terms on a new deal.

He said Wednesday he hopes to avoid a similar situation.

"Oh yeah, definitely. Last time, just understanding that, hey, some people are gonna run with some of the media narratives, some people won't," Taylor told reporters. "But just know that the true Indianapolis fans, they'll be able to see through the weeds and understand exactly what's going on and not just believe everything that they read."

If everything goes according to plan for the running back, he will land a new contract and take an important step toward achieving his goal of spending his entire career in Indianapolis.