Jonathan Taylor is making history in 2025.
He's playing at a level that's nearly impossible to describe, much less explain, and he's mystifying everyone from his teammates and his coaches to his opponents trying to stop him every Sunday.
Through the first eight weeks of the 2025 season, Taylor leads the NFL in carries (143), rushing yards (850), total touchdowns (14), rushing touchdowns (12) and explosive runs (23). He's averaging 5.9 yards per carry and 4.16 yards after contact per carry and is just two rushing touchdowns away from setting a new franchise record.
He's scored a league-high 86 points in eight games, averaging 10.8 points per game. The second-highest point total – 74 – belongs to Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey. In fact, Taylor is the only non-kicker among the top 15 scorers in the league.
He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October after recording 529 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in four games.
Ask the Colts running back about any of that, though, and the first thing he'll do is credit his teammates.
For example, here's what Taylor said after his career-long 80-yard touchdown run in the Colts' Week 8 win over the Tennessee Titans – a game in which Taylor averaged 12.8 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns:
"Man, those guys up front," Taylor said. "Those guys just coming around, sealing off the edge. I mean, they've been playing lights out all year, and when you can have an offensive line and tight ends play at that level, it makes it easy."
Anyone in the Colts locker room will tell you Taylor is just playing at an entirely different level this year. The running back's physicality, agility and toughness are remarkable, and everything just seems to be working for him. They don't really know how to explain the change – it's just Taylor being the kind of player they've always known he could be.
Taylor knows what's changed, though: the play of the people around him.
"I mean, you just see the plays blocked perfectly, and you usually end up with your one-on-one match up," he explained. "That's usually how most plays are intended. A man on a man, and then you're usually left with one."
The Colts' offensive line is arguably the best in the NFL right now, with three players ranked in the top 10 in their respective positions: Quenton Nelson is the highest rated guard per Pro Football Focus, Tanor Bortolini (in his first year as a starter) is the second-highest rated center, and Bernhard Raimann is the tenth-highest rated tackle. Every member of the line has played an instrumental role in creating gaps for Taylor to sneak through and – especially in Nelson's case – barreling into the open field to create a lane for the running back to follow.
"I keep going back to the O-line" head coach Shane Steichen said. "I mean, those guys – the holes they're creating when you watch the tape and you watch the coaches copy, I mean, it's as impressive as it gets. Then I think that just his physicality too, is a big part of it. His vision has been off the charts, but the physicality, the way he's running through these arm tackles and spinning 360 (degrees) off these guys and getting the extra yards and toe tapping on the sidelines. I mean, it's hard to really explain because it's so impressive to watch right now."
Taylor also credits his wide receivers and tight ends for their willingness to block and make big plays, forcing opposing defenses to stay ready at all times. The versatility of the Colts' offense means that it's virtually impossible to stop them all, and Taylor has clearly been able to benefit from the talent around him.
"It's just everyone playing unselfish," he said. "And we've played unselfish before, but it's just – you see it on tape. You see guys like Pitt (Michael Pittman Jr.), Alec (Pierce) busting their tails from backside to try and go and just get a piece of a guy on a block. You see the running backs burying their fake, sprinting outside to try and carry one or two guys or get someone's eyes into the flat so that we can open those guys up downfield. I think when you have guys going all out on plays that are not even targeting towards them, that's when things get opened up to new heights."
Of course, that's not to say Taylor hasn't been enjoying the success he's had so far this season. He loves reaching the end zone and hitting those explosive runs, and he loves helping his team win. And really, that's just it: it's all about the team. Taylor knows how hard his teammates work to help him succeed, and his own numbers don't mean nearly as much if they aren't able to all win together.
"You'd rather have three touchdowns than 200 yards because you know, like, this is contributing to us," Taylor explained. "Both are contributing to the win, but the touchdowns – that's points on the board."
Thursday's practice report: