Reality TV producers are beginning to blush as they peer over toward the Indianapolis Colts. The Jonathan Taylor saga has taken a page from Anchorman, with events escalating more quickly than any of us could have imagined. What exactly has happened, what is happening, and what is going to happen next?
The Indianapolis Colts and Jonathan Taylor Timeline
The current series of unfortunate events began with a tweet from Jim Irsay last Wednesday. Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris discussed changing the way the NFL does contracts for running backs specifically, and the Colts’ owner took exception to that, claiming that “some agents are selling ‘bad faith.'”
“At this point, a (contract extension) is not something that we’re discussing right now,” Irsay said. “This isn’t a comment that has to do with Jonathan Taylor’s situation, but it’s about what my responsibilities are. I’m responsible for everyone on the team, and to look at the cap money that you have, to look at contracts as you go forward.”
The absence of a contract extension is not unique to Taylor. There has been practically zero movement on the contractual front regarding Colts players. General manager Chris Ballard has practically confessed his love for Michael Pittman Jr. publicly, but the Indianapolis receiver isn’t cashing a fat second-contract check, either. Taylor and Pittman share a draft class and are each in the final year of their rookie deals.
This has been a timing issue. The Colts aren’t spending any money because they want to see how everything fits with a completely new staff after a horrific season offensively a year ago. But the running back market has made things dire for the position, and Taylor, and his agent, are trying to apply pressure.
Although Indianapolis has been proactive in the past with deals, it appears that tactic has been locked away for the time being, and the key has been placed out of reach on purpose.
After the tweets, Irsay pulled into Colts camp in his custom bus and had a face-to-face with Taylor. That meeting ended with Taylor formally requesting a trade, so it’s safe to say that the meeting didn’t go well.
But Irsay vehemently denied the idea of trading Taylor. “We’re not trading Jonathan… end of discussion. Not now and not in October!” And then things got weird.
“If I die tonight and Jonathan Taylor is out of the league, no one’s gonna miss us,” Irsay said. “The league goes on. We know that. The National Football (League) rolls on. It doesn’t matter who comes and who goes, and it’s a privilege to be a part of it.”
Meanwhile, Taylor’s agent, Malki Kawa, has been tweeting through the entire ordeal. However, as the late, great, Billy Mays used to say, “But wait! There’s more!”
Sources told ESPN’s Stephen Holder that the Colts’ RB reported back pain during his pre-training camp physical, and now the team is considering putting him on the non-football injury (NFI) list.
That would mean that Indianapolis could withhold Taylor’s salary. The source claims Taylor failed his physical because of his prior ankle injury and a back injury, an issue the Colts weren’t made aware of until Taylor reported to camp last Tuesday.
Taylor responded to the report.
1.) Never had a back pain.
2.) Never reported back pain.
Not sure who “sources” are, but find new ones 🤔
— Jonathan Taylor (@JayT23) July 31, 2023
In less than a week, whatever relationship Taylor and his agent had with the Colts has since deteriorated entirely. The situation has progressed into an all-out spectacle, and there doesn’t appear to be any relief in sight.
All we can do is wait to see what happens next.
