Jonathan Taylor Makes First Comments Since Colts’ Offseason Drama

Jonathan Taylor deflected any and all questions about his previous trade request and contract dispute with the Indianapolis Colts. Instead, while speaking publicly for the first time since those offseason storylines, the star running back on Thursday stressed his improved health.

Taylor was placed on the physically unable to perform list, which caused him to miss the first four games of the NFL season. He is now eligible to return and was a full participant in Indianapolis’ walkthrough on Wednesday.

“Just first off, it feels really good to finally be healthy,” Taylor told reporters, per the Locked On Colts podcast. “The whole time the main goal was to be healthy, everyone in this whole thing the main goal was to be healthy.

“Just going through that journey through this whole time, there’s been a lot of things said and done, but at the end of the day the No. 1 overall goal for everybody was for me to get healthy. I think everybody was on the same page as that.”

Taylor said he would not get into any conversations about his contract situation as those were talks he had during the offseason. Taylor, who enters the final year of his rookie contract, explained how his main priority now is getting back onto the field.

“I don’t think it matters on if I’m saying I’m committed or not because I’m here,” Taylor told reporters. “If somebody wasn’t committed they wouldn’t be here. And right now I’m here and my No. 1 goal is really to attack this first practice.”

The Colts allowed Taylor to try to find a trade partner, and thus his next team. However, Indianapolis reportedly was asking for a first-round pick or a package of picks that would equate to a first-rounder. That price proved too expensive for other teams.

Taylor was asked directly whether he wanted to remain a member of the Colts. As he did throughout his press conference, Taylor again deflected — though his response was telling.

“Like I said, I’m here right now and my No. 1 thing is to take care of my teammates,” Taylor told reporters. “A lot of people worry about what I want. It doesn’t matter necessarily what I want. What matters is what this team needs, what this team wants, what this city wants, and what the city needs. And what the city needs is a championship and while I’m here that’s what I’m going to work my tail off to do.”

While Colts fans probably weren’t overly enthusiastic about Taylor’s sentiments, fantasy football managers might have felt a bit better. If Taylor is truly healthy, as he indicated a few times, his path back to playing time should not be far off.