The Indianapolis Colts have a decision to make about Jonathan Taylor. The superstar running back is looking to get a new deal, and while he's said all the right things about wanting to stay in Indianapolis, this isn't the first time that his contract situation has been a talking point.
From a football perspective, there's absolutely no doubt that the Colts should do right by their best offensive player. From a financial and historical standpoint, spending big bucks on running backs hasn't always worked out.
Still, chances are the Colts will ultimately do right by him again. And if you were to ask former teammate Phillip Lindsay, he's more than worth every penny. In a sit-down with Action Network's Kyle Odegard, he explained what made him so different.
Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor always wants to get better
“The year before I got there, the man almost went for 2,000 yards. The next year I get there, and he’s talking about, ‘Hey, Phil, how can I get better? Hey Phil, what can I do to make sure I stay healthy?’ Doing stuff like that means he cares, and that he’s not bigger than the game,” Lindsay told Odegard.
That speaks volumes about Taylor's humility, maturity, and work ethic. Phillip Lindsay barely played in Indianapolis, and he was never a legitimate threat to take his spot, yet Taylor still wanted to pick his brain and gather his thoughts on how to get better.
It takes a special type of player and person to realize that he can always get better. Players usually get complacent and surround themselves with 'yes men' who, instead of challenging and pushing them, just enable them.
Taylor is probably the most underrated running back in the game. It's reached a point where it feels like people have just grown used to his greatness, so he doesn't get the credit other guys in bigger markets would've gotten with those numbers.
Still, he's never been about that. And, as much as his holdout put the team in a tough spot years ago, he's more than paid his dues and shown that he truly wants to be a Colt for life. Even if the move comes with some risks, the front office should make sure that's the case.
Talent can only get a player so far. We've seen countless superstar prospects fall flat in the pros because they don't want it enough or fail to acknowledge that there's always something to improve.
That's what separates the good from the great, and that's what has helped Jonathan Taylor go from a three-star prospect to a future Hall of Famer. Once again, he'll be Shane Steichen's most important soldier, and even though it might sound impossible, he may even show a couple of new tricks in his seventh year in the league.
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