The Indianapolis Colts chose not to trade away Jonathan Taylor before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
That likely had some fans figuring that Taylor would start to return to his usual workload after it was lower for a few weeks. But on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, Taylor was again losing work to Seth McGowan.
That was happening before the deadline, and it’s still happening. Clearly, the things weren’t as connected as it seemed.
The Colts scored first on Sunday against Miami, and it was from short range, but it wasn’t Taylor. It was McGowan powering it in at the goal line.
That’s definitely notable going forward.
It definitely made some fantasy football folks unhappy, like Matthew Berry: “Love how the Colts wouldn’t trade Jonathan Taylor but then also don’t want to use him near the goal line. Or half the time.”
But for those in the know, this doesn’t seem all that surprising.
Why is Seth McGowan Playing So Much?
McGowan is playing so much because he deserves it.
He’s made a big impact on special teams this season, and that has translated to offense.
The Colts picked him in the seventh round out of Kentucky, but McGowan has quickly risen above that status.
This is what ESPN’s Stephen Holder wrote on Sunday on X:
“Have gotten a lot of questions about the distribution of work between Jonathan Taylor and backup Seth McGowan the past couple weeks, with many assuming it was related to the trade deadline. Notably, McGowan continues to get a heavy snap count today, so…”
Simply put: McGowan is continuing to take advantage of every chance he gets, and so he continues to get chances.
Jonathan Taylor Trade Decision
Taylor was heavily involved in trade rumors for weeks.
He didn’t get moved, though, and he’s under contract through 2028.
The Colts could still trade him in the offseason, or they could stick with their superstar running back.
Taylor can also serve as a mentor for McGowan, who looks like a late-round gem so far for the Colts.
Why Seth McGowan is Running for Colts Over Jonathan Taylor After Trade Deadline