Week 4 was a bittersweet day for Indianapolis Colts fans. The Colts won against the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24, in a stunning upset that shocked the league. But unfortunately, that game also brought an injured Jonathan Taylor, in a major blow to the Colts offense.
Taylor has been a powerhouse this season, having already racked up nearly 350 rushing yards. He's consistently been an NFL leader for rushing yards as well, so it was a huge blow when Taylor went down. He suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter, and seemed optimistic afterwards. “Feeling pretty good,” he told reporters. “We came out with the win, so I’m excited to attack this week.”
He's since officially been diagnosed as having a high ankle sprain, which, though it's considered to be mild, could still be bad news. At Wednesday's practice, Taylor was nowhere to be found, causing some Colts fans to worry it could mean a more serious injury that could keep him out for a few weeks. And in new interviews from the locker room, Taylor gave an optimistic update about how soon he could be back.
I asked #Colts RB Jonathan Taylor if he’ll practice today (didn’t answer but later said “no”) and what will tell him he’s ready (or not) for Sunday:
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) October 3, 2024
“What’s today? Thursday, Friday, Saturday — so we got 48, really 72, but really 48 hours, so continuing to take it day by day. …” pic.twitter.com/AkORKgPIRC
Ahead of Thursday's practice, Taylor was asked if he would be taking the field.
“What’s today? Thursday, Friday, Saturday — so we got 48, really 72, but really 48 hours, so continuing to take it day by day," he said. "I was going to go in there and do some stuff today, to just kind of get a gauge of it as well today, but, um, it's a day-to-day thing, so being able to go ahead and attack every single day, full force, because you never know! A lot of special things have happened in a couple days."
Taylor further told the IndyStar that the sprain isn't as bad as his previous 2022 ankle injury. “Of course, with it not being as severe as previous, it’s actually a sign of relief. Let’s go through our normal ankle protocol. It’s actually better for me, because it’s not as severe as last time," he said, adding, "“At the start, you always have to have rest, because you have to have time for the injury to calm down. But then after that, you’ve got to go to work, strengthening it and making sure it can handle that load.”
While it appears possible that Taylor may not be suiting up to take on the Jaguars, the good news for Colts fans is that it doesn't appear he'll be sidelined for much longer after that.