Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
WESTFIELD, Ind.–Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor wants a new contract, but so far he hasn’t received one, and he’s not happy about it. Neither is his agent, Malki Kawa.
Taylor was the NFL’s rushing leader in 2021 but got injured in 2022. He played 11 games in 2022, but only had four touchdowns compared to the 20 he had in 2021.
“NFL Running Back situation- We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category wants another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate. Some Agents are selling ‘bad faith’,” said Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay on Twitter.
Kawa didn’t like Irsay’s comment.
“Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player,” said Kawa.
NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport said “Hope this relationship can be fixed…”. Kawa responded to that Tweet by saying, “I doubt it.”
Irsay later clarified his statements in a phone interview with ESPN.
“The comment wasn’t really directed at Jonathan. We haven’t exchanged any contract numbers with each other or anything like that. So, it’s not like we’re in the midst of that. I think we had a tough season last year. Didn’t win a lot of games. This is a year about coming back together and having a great year and we’re really depending on Jonathan to team up with [quarterback] Anthony Richardson to try and pull together to have a great year.”
Irsay went on to say the team needs Taylor.
“Our hope is Jonathan has an outstanding year and that we have a good year as a team and then we get his next contract done. That’s the hope. We think the world of him as a person, as a player. It’s just timing. When your time comes to get paid, then you get paid,” said Irsay.
The Colts are in training camp. Taylor did report to camp, but was placed on the physically unable to perform list.
“He’s been a pro. He’s been normal JT. I’ve been excited to get going with training camp and so have the guys. He’s been right there with them,” said Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.
Cooter said along with that, he’s also making sure his players on offense know the playbook.
“At this time of year, we throw a million plays at our guys and make them learn a ton. Then we make them practice them, but we also take it one day at a time,” said Cooter.
Cooter is also spending a lot of time working with Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson.
“You don’t throw the whole book at the guy. You teach him in a really organized and sequential manner to try and set him up for success,” said Cooter.
He says Richardson is “soaking everything up and asking lots of questions.”
“He’ll ask things like ‘How does that work?’ or ‘How will the defense adjust to that?’ or ‘How is that going to get tougher next time?’, so yeah he’s been great about being open-minded,” said Cooter.
The Colts open the regular season September 10th against Jacksonville.
