Colts’ Jonathan Taylor Reveals Lone Goal for 2022 Season

Jonathan Taylor

Getty Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor revealed he has just one goal for the 2022 season.

It’s common practice in the NFL, and really across sports, for players to set individual goals for themselves before the beginning of a season.

But Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor didn’t bother with much of that this offseason. He has set one goal for himself for 2022, and it’s a team goal — win the Super Bowl.

“I really only have one goal and that’s to become a champion,” Taylor told the media on September 8. “That’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time. Ever since I’ve been playing the game, I’ve yet to accomplish that. At any level.”


Taylor Becomes Colts Captain

Taylor accomplished just about everything a running back can in a single season last year. He led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He posted 10 100-yard rushing games and became the first running back to finish second or better in Offensive Player of the Year voting since 2017.

But none of that appears to matter to Taylor, as he has his eyes on the Super Bowl.

While it may just a coincidence, Taylor’s reveal of his only goal for 2022 being a team achievement comes a day after the Colts named the 23-year-old a captain for the first time.

Taylor shared that he was extremely humbled to be voted one of Indianapolis’ captains by his teammates.

“It’s awesome. I’m a captain with DeForest Buckner, Matt Ryan. I mean, not too many people can say that. Shaquille Leonard,” Taylor said. “I’m really excited because those are some guys that I really look up to, so just being able to follow their lead and how to properly be a captain. It’s just something I look forward to, and it’s an honor.”

Indianapolis has a total of 7 team captains. In addition to Taylor, Buckner, Ryan and Leonard, Quenton Nelson, Kenny Moore II and Zaire Franklin are also captains.


Taylor Would Make History With Another Rushing Title

The Colts running back may not have identified it as a goal this year, but Taylor would write his name into the record books by leading the NFL in rushing a second consecutive year.

Only 10 players in the history of the NFL, including just two players since 2000, have captured back-to-back rushing titles. The most recent running back to accomplish the feat was Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry in 2019 and 2020, but prior to him, LaDainain Tomlinson was the last to do it in 2006-07.

The only Colts player to record two straight seasons with the most rushing yards in the NFL was Edgerrin James in 1999 and 2000.

The Bleacher Report NFL Staff picked Taylor to become the next running back to join the elusive back-to-back rushing title club. In a staff vote, that included 6 NFL analysts, for who will lead the NFL in rushing during 2022, Taylor and Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb received 2 votes each.

The Indianapolis brass has talked about involving Nyheim Hines in the offense more this season. That could cut into Taylor’s snaps or touches, but he’s still a great bet to lead the league in rushing.

Not that that matters to Taylor, though. Unless, of course, his rushing yards propel the Colts to a championship.

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