Jonathan Taylor delivered what sounded like a goodbye to Indianapolis on November 8, 2026, after the Colts dropped their fifth straight game in a 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at Lucas Oil Stadium.
That defeat dropped the team to an ugly 2-7 record. With the NFL trade deadline looming on Tuesday, the franchise running back addressed reporters about his future with the organization that selected him No. 41 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
I think you play every game like it’s your last, but at the end of the day this has been a spot where I grew up,
Taylor said.
"I appreciate them and it was a pleasure to put on display all of not only my hard work, but the team's hard work."@ADChernoff asked Jonathan Taylor what he hopes the fans will remember about him if this is Taylor's last game with the #Colts: pic.twitter.com/Z6bL4IMT0M
I think I mentioned this to you guys, like you go to college, you’re a young man, but you really grew up, you started a family and you really embraced this city, the people, and you’re just like … this place helped shape me into the man I am today. If it is [my last game], I’m very grateful for the city of Indianapolis,
Taylor added.
Taylor ranks second in franchise history in rushing yards with 8,254 and leads the organization in rushing touchdowns with 77, putting him alongside club legends like Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, and Eric Dickerson. His 89.2 rushing yards per game entering the week ranked fifth in NFL history.
Before Sunday’s kickoff, Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer reported that the New York Giants had offered a second- and fifth-round pick package with extra compensation for Taylor, but pulled the proposal after the Colts held out for a first-rounder. Other contenders such as the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals remain lingering options, while the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are teams that could utilize a running back.
The Colts have already traded offensive guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, alongside firing general manager Chris Ballard. Taylor remains under contract through 2028.
At the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, @JayGlazer shares the latest updates with servicemembers ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline pic.twitter.com/yiaOdZ21MI
