INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor got his wish.A little more than a week after reiterating he wanted to stay with Indy for the rest of his career, Taylor took a big step toward fulfilling that pledge by signing a two-year, $44 million contract extension, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person requested anonymity because the team had not yet made an official announcement and does not release contract terms.The move keeps the 2021 NFL rushing champ off the free agent market next spring and comes two days after the Atlanta Falcons re-signed Bijan Robinson to a record-breaking three-year deal worth up to $75 million. Taylor never doubted the deal would get done before Indy’s season opener Sept. 13 against Baltimore.“I have faith. I mean, there’ve been some good conversations, and I have faith between my agent and the front office,” Taylor said last week when he arrived at training camp. “Like I said, I’ve already said I would love to be a Colt for life. So, I have faith that things are moving in the right direction.”
This deal follows two other big payouts this spring, to quarterback Daniel Jones and top receiver Alec Pierce, and keeps Indy’s primary offensive players together long term.Taylor is now under contract through 2028 and won’t celebrate his 30th birthday until January 2029. Teams tend to devalue running backs after they turn 30.
