Jonathan Taylor: Inside the mind of one of the NFL’s best, talks Derrick Henry and Saquon, Shane Steichenn's leadership, fatherhood, definition of greatness, what it takes to win and why Colts are playoff contenders

"Be at your best when your best is needed." Jonathan Taylor As the Pivot Training Camp tour hits Indianapolis, one of the league's best Running Backs Jonathan Taylor sits with the guys for an in-depth conversation about his football journey—from his early days at Salem High School in New Jersey to his dominant college career at Wisconsin to becoming one of the NFL’s premier running backs with the Indianapolis Colts... JT's transcendent path is one everyone can learn from. Taylor opens up on making it to the league, the work behind becoming one of the most productive backs in football, and what it means to earn a new deal and continue building his legacy in Indianapolis. JT talks about the legends at his position before him, what it was like having Philip Rivers around and gives an inside-look into this year's roster filled with young proven talent. He also discusses his relationship with Colts head coach Shane Steichen, the Irsay family, and the people inside the organization who have helped shape his career. He gives his respect to the other top Backs in the league from Bijan to Derrick Henry to Saquon, even revealing what him and Saquon had in common long before their NFL days... Beyond the numbers, Taylor talks about leadership, accountability, handling adversity, and setting the standard for a team that wants to win. He also breaks down what it will take for the Colts to make the playoffs—what needs to come together inside the locker room, the consistency required throughout the season, and the mindset it takes to make a real postseason run. What does it take to be one of the best? How does he approach the responsibility that comes with being a leader? And what does winning mean to him at this stage of his career? A candid conversation with one of the NFL’s elite about the journey that got him here—and the mindset, leadership and commitment it will take to get the Colts where they want to go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends. Like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest, or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an ultra. Because it's not just a superior light beer, it's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 0:30Ryan Clark?

  Jonathan Taylor wasn't a late bloomer. People were just late to the party. A track star and a record-breaking running back from Salem, New Jersey, it took a little longer for recruiters and colleges to catch on. Once they did, Taylor made sure they never forgot his name. Records seem to fall whenever JT touches the football. From New Jersey to Wisconsin to Indianapolis, and now with another coach's record within reach, he's already proven who he is. The next challenge? Turning individual greatness into team success. We get into small-town beginnings in the Wisconsin running back pipeline. The star back talks about his new contract, the best backs in football, and how those stars are creating a new mold in today's game.

• 1:13Ryan Clark?

  He downplays his record-breaking numbers, but praises Shane Steichen's genius and Philip Rivers' greatness. Finally, we get into Colts quarterback play, Daniel Jones, the Ursay ownership legacy, and what the Colts need to do to finally get over the hump. If you don't know JT, then you don't know ball. But we can fix that. Join us as we head to Indianapolis and Jonathan Taylor sits with me, Chan, and Freddie T on the Pivot Training Camp Tour.

• 2:03Speaker 02

  Yeah, there you go. What's up, daddy?

• 2:05Fred Taylor?

  Man, I appreciate you guys.

• 2:06Ryan Clark?

  Good brother. What's up, boy? How you doing, man?

• 2:09Channing Crowder?

  What's up, man? You good, bro? How are you guys? Hey, man, same old. How you guys doing?

• 2:13Fred Taylor?

  Feeling all right? Man, I'm feeling great. I love to see you.

• 2:16Ryan Clark?

  AJT, they firing the bill back your neck, though. Y'all hitting this all, this all black hoodie.

• 2:21Speaker 02

  Pivot. Y'all boys came through. Okay, y'all boys came through. Yeah, we've been talking about this for a minute.

• 2:28Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, this is like the best one we've done here, though, because at least you didn't have to come out the practice field.

• 2:32Speaker 02

  Yeah. Off the practice field. Yeah, that's kind of hectic.

• 2:36Ryan Clark?

  Oh, hell, yeah.

• 2:37Speaker 02

  Oh, man, that grass. Listen, they gonna be on that grass. I'm telling you right now, they gonna make sure it's good. We only in practice today. We got walk-through, they still on the ground.

• 2:45Channing Crowder?

  They gonna get it right.

• 2:46Speaker 02

  They gonna make sure it's good.

• 2:47Ryan Clark?

  Hey, they ain't cutting nothing, though. This joint's perfect.

• 2:50Speaker 02

  They like that. I don't know what they do, but they make sure when we come out here, it's ready.

• 2:54Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, this joint's perfect, man.

• 2:55Channing Crowder?

  I mean, keeping that check coming in. I'm gonna hit that grass real fast, sweet boss, man.

• 2:59Ryan Clark?

  The, the thing is, though, you know, I don't mean to be the old guys, it'd be like, back in our day, we'd be practicing right now. This would be the first one of the day. Then you get that little break, you back out like three.

• 3:11Speaker 02

  Yeah, they don't know about two a day. That's what I'm saying. I don't know how like, because I'm thinking about the first practice. You're like, dang, okay, I'm gonna be getting a tug, treatment. So to know like, I gotta go back out there again, same day, another practice, I'm like, hey, y'all real ones. Y'all real ones.

• 3:26Ryan Clark?

  Hey, you know how it is, man. You do, you do what you have to, man. Jonathan Taylor, welcome to the Pivot. That is Fred Taylor, Channing Crowder, I'm Ryan Clark. Pivot fam, thank y'all for pivoting with us. I want to get this out the way. Right now, 100-meter dash in our high school primes, Fred Taylor or Jonathan Taylor?

• 3:45Speaker 02

  This ain't about me. Why y'all pulling me in? Fred was sliding. He was, yo. Why y'all put me in this? You know I work out with Frank, so he telling me like, he know about the wheels. He knows, he knows.

• 3:56Fred Taylor?

  We, we just talked to Frank yesterday. But where'd you go in the 100-meter? I know you two-time state champ, right?

• 4:02Speaker 02

  Yeah, but that, in Jersey, 10.49 is gonna win it. Like, that's gonna win it in Jersey. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's different breeds.

• 4:09Fred Taylor?

  Depending on the day, we'll probably be right there. But it all makes sense why you just hit the, hit the ground and you just out of there. Nobody's catching you.

• 4:17Speaker 02

  That's really my mindset. That background, everybody, whenever they see me run, they're like, "Did you run track?" I'm like, "Yeah, I did." Like, if they're like, "Oh, your, your stride, your form." I'm like, just, I feel like track translates to the field if you, if you know how to, if you know how to use it. Obviously, there's not many times you just get a straight line, like a beeline, but it, it can come in handy for sure.

• 4:37Ryan Clark?

  You know, Jonathan, man, looking at your statistics from being in Salem, right? Breaking the all-time state record. You know, I think you went for over 1,900. Soon as you get to Wisconsin, obviously, you've had 1,800 in the league. Like, you've been a player that's created explosive plays. Like, that's been what you were about. But I do want to go back to Salem and thinking about Wisconsin saying that they wanted to see if you were fast enough to have long speed to play in the Big Ten. Coming from a small city that wasn't necessarily producing football players like the Floridas or the Georgias or the Louisianas, did you have some sort of chip on your shoulder

• 5:20Ryan Clark?

  to show people that, yeah, you can play at the highest level?

• 5:23Speaker 02

  Yeah, man, shout out to Salem City. You went back to Salem City. No, I love my city. But there was, there was one player, and you guys probably know him, Corey Clement. So when I was in middle school, he was in high school, and he was terrorizing South Jersey. Like, there was one game where me and my boys, we in the stands at the high school game, and he got dinged up or something. So he came off the field, and obviously, we knew like, okay, he their best player. So we in the stands, it's all over. He come back in the next play and take it like 60 yards. Like, so we, we, I saw him terrorizing South Jersey and then go to the University of Wisconsin and see him have success there. So that's how like Wisconsin got on my radar. And I definitely did have a chip,

• 6:05Speaker 02

  because it's almost like, if you dominating, who are you playing against? Like, oh, who's the competition? But then if I wasn't to do that, it's like, oh, he's not good enough. So it's like, what, what do you want me to do?

• 6:15Ryan Clark?

  Right.

• 6:15Speaker 02

  But it's funny, I think it's because on tape at high school, it was like, I was like a long strider. So I'm pulling away from people, but I'm a long strider. So they're like, you know, this doesn't really look like that speed. You can't really feel it on the tape. But if you're next to me, it's like,

• 6:32Ryan Clark?

  Pulling away from people.

• 6:32Speaker 02

  Just pulling away. So I get it, they gotta do their due diligence. But that's the one thing that was crazy to me was, if I wasn't dominating, you say, "He's not good enough." But now that I am, it's, well, who is he playing against? But we got dogs in Jersey. That's the crazy thing. We have dogs in Jersey.

• 6:47Ryan Clark?

  The poor Rutgers, though. Rutgers, two times, right?

• 6:50Channing Crowder?

  He did Rutgers bad.

• 6:52Ryan Clark?

  Hey, Rutgers had two running back commits that decommitted late in like this generation of players. Do you want to know who they were?

• 6:59Fred Taylor?

  Of course.

• 7:00Ryan Clark?

  Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley.

• 7:03Channing Crowder?

  Oh, Lord.

• 7:07Channing Crowder?

  That Rutgers coach punching the air. Black boys in the hood.

• 7:12Fred Taylor?

  Put them boys on blast.

• 7:16Channing Crowder?

  When did you feel as if you proved yourself, though? Because they be saying, you come, I don't look at New York, New Jersey as no football place.

• 7:22Speaker 02

  That's crazy.

• 7:23Channing Crowder?

  I question it. Is that, is that not okay?

• 7:27Speaker 02

  Look, Jersey is gonna have, you got the Floridas, the Texas, Louisianas, you gonna have a lot of athletes. If you looking for a football player, like, it don't matter what time of the year it is, beginning of the season, end of the season, this dude is going to play ball. Like, I want him on my team. He a football player. Jersey produces football players. We got athletes, but if you want a football player?

• 7:49Channing Crowder?

  But what is that? What's the difference between a football player and an athlete?

• 7:52Speaker 02

  Because an athlete, you gotta get cute. You gotta get cute. You gotta put him in a situation. A football player is like, listen, if he's around the ball, if he has the ball, if he's around the ball, he's going to make a play. He's gonna make a play. He's gonna play well. He gonna do what he need to do when he needs to do it.

• 8:09Fred Taylor?

  I, I, I rock with that.

• 8:11Speaker 02

  Every time, consistently.

• 8:13Fred Taylor?

  We take that. No, we take it. Usually, you think of basketball first because of the amount of players that have turned over.

• 8:19Ryan Clark?

  That's true.

• 8:20Fred Taylor?

  And that's it. Not that you ever have football talent. But the South is where football is dominated, and vice versa for you guys in basketball. But without the money, you might not even be playing football, right? Your cousin? I think I read a story that said because your cousin went is the reason why how you kind of stumbled into it.

• 8:37Speaker 02

  Shout out to Amani, man. Shout out to cousin, big cuz. So we used to go outside, back when we were younger, we used to go outside, you know, everybody going outside all the time playing. And then eventually he stopped coming outside. He's like, no, I'm not going out today. I gotta go play. I gotta go to football practice. So at that time, me not understanding, you know, you gotta go to football practice every day. So I'm like, why is this like, Amani keep, he keep going to football practice? Like, this must be crazy if he's doing that over going outside. So now I finally asked my mom, I'm like, hey, can I sign up to play football? She's like, why you want to play football? Like, you didn't play any sports before. I'm like, Amani is playing football, like, he's going every day. And that was the start of it. And then as the game grew slowly, and I was having fun at first because I'm like, I'm just out here with my cousin, like, you know, I'm trying to learn the game.

• 9:22Speaker 02

  So I didn't really know how to play, but I was fast. So they're like, man, give him an end around, you know, I was at, I was at receiver, give him an end around. And then eventually they moved me to running back, 26 power sweep, that was my play, 26 power sweep, hit the air.

• 9:35Ryan Clark?

  Sweep is undefeated in Little League.

• 9:37Fred Taylor?

  I run everybody.

• 9:38Speaker 02

  Every time, but that's the biggest contributor, I think, to how my journey got started was just Amani. He, he set the tone, as far as discipline, of course, me not knowing, like, you gotta go and practice every day.

• 9:52Ryan Clark?

  You know, man, you know, Wisconsin, like, we talked about New Jersey and kind of made jokes about it, but obviously, great players can come from anywhere. The one thing we do know about where you went to college is great running backs play at Wisconsin. Like, the lineage from the Ron Daines, the Melvin Gordons, the Jonathan Taylors. And then you even think about guys like Braylon Allen, James White. Like, there are so many running backs that have been able to transition from Wisconsin to the NFL and play well. What was it like being a, a young player at Wisconsin who could text Ron Dane, man, and have those sort of dialogues and the ups and downs of being such a high profile, in a high profile position at that school?

• 10:35Speaker 02

  It's humbling to not even be mentioned with those guys, to be able to have the, the skill set, the mindset and the ability to have the university say, hey, we want you to continue that tradition here. So I didn't take that lightly. And going to University of Wisconsin, I just started watching and listening. What are some stories of guys who have came through here, other running backs? And like, hearing those stories of, hey, guys are going out and they were seeing Melvin on the ladder out, out front in his yard. So it's like, when you hear those stories, you're like, okay, so that's what it takes to be like, the guy at the University of Wisconsin, especially at the running back position.

• 11:15Speaker 02

  So for me, being able to absorb as much information as possible, I had a really great room too, with Chris James, Taiwan Deal, Garrett Grochek, Rashid Ibrahim, like, those guys were unselfish and they did whatever they could to help me. A lot of those guys transferred over from University of Pitt where Coach Chris came from. And for them to be able to accept me like that and say, hey, listen, if you're out there, we want to make sure we give you all of the knowledge that we have, as well as reaching out to guys who have came before us, the Melvin Gordons, the Ron Daines, the James Whites. It's like, it's a brotherhood, it's a fraternity. I don't think you can get that anywhere else.

• 11:54Ryan Clark?

  What you remember most of the Florida Atlantic game, your freshman year? The 200 something yards, the three touchdowns, or the fumble?

• 12:00Speaker 02

  For me, definitely, definitely, probably the fumble. Probably the fumble, because then that's when I'm like, oh, man, like, this is on TV, like, all the people back home watching, like, I'm out here, like, I can't waste this opportunity. I'm tripping, like, I know they watch Salem City watching right now. And then after that, it was over with. I'm like, okay, if I know Salem City locked in, I'm locked in. I got the city.

• 12:24Fred Taylor?

  You're the first FBS back to have three consecutive 1900 yard seasons, multiple 2000 yard seasons, over 6000 in three years. And to be drafted 41 overall? Like, what else did you think on draft night that you possibly could have done to maybe help your draft stock that night?

• 12:45Speaker 02

  I mean, at that point, you either gotta, you gotta win the natty, you gotta win the highs, man. I mean, you, you just had to just be at, at the tippy top. But that, that was a time period where I don't know why they kind of looked sideways at running backs. And now you can see the trend is changing. They got guys going second overall, third or fourth. It's like, I'm happy to see it, but I also knew like, okay, well, this is just my opportunity to go and, and show them why running backs are valuable. And I think I landed in the perfect place, you know, I wouldn't change it any other way.

• 13:22Fred Taylor?

  100%.

• 13:23Ryan Clark?

  What changed? I was gonna bring that up, like, the McCaffreys and, and the Saquon and them boys. You just got a nice little check added on to the end of your.

• 13:34Ryan Clark?

  Like, they devalue y'all for a second. It seemed like, what, the last three years? It's like, oh, we do need running backs. What changed with the game in your mind?

• 13:42Speaker 02

  For me, I think, one, you gotta have a high quality product on the field. So the guys you mentioned, I think, having those guys play at an elite level year in and year out, but make game changing plays, like, hey, he impacts the game where we're down. And then now because he made a play, the momentum changed, or now we're up, or hey, he won the game for us. Or hey, we, we rode him the entire game, he put the team on his back that entire game. Like, that's just the type of game it was, not to say that the other players couldn't do it. So I think once you show your value to the team by having that consistent high level of play, it's like, well, hold on, wait a second. Like, this guy, these are jack of all trades, like you mentioned, like, the Saquon, Christian McCaffrey.

• 14:26Speaker 02

  Like, these guys can do it all. And I honestly believe, like, running backs are the, the most skilled on the field. Like, we gotta be able to be tough, you gotta be quick, you gotta be fast, you gotta be strong, you gotta be smart. It's like, you do a lot of things, but I think sometimes it gets taken for granted because it's like, oh, he, they do the dirty work, but it's like, we do a lot. Not to take away from other positions, but we, we do a lot.

• 14:53Ryan Clark?

  You know, we got the opportunity to play against Fred, and it wasn't that you didn't understand that he was gonna get the tough yards. The scary piece was if he gets a crack, or if he gets straightened up, they can hit a home run. I think that's the difference in between the backs people see as, okay, I can go get another one of him. You can't go find another Jonathan Taylor, another Jameer Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey. You can't find another Bijon, right? If you have that guy on your team, you need to pay him, you need to show him his worth. And I think we're starting to see teams do that. I want to go back to last year, you guys are, are rolling. You know, you're in London, 83 yard touchdown, over 240 yards. That felt like a quintessential Jonathan Taylor game.

• 15:38Ryan Clark?

  At that point, with your team's record, the way that Daniel Jones was playing, how much optimism did you guys have around here that last year could have been one of those years you made a push in the playoffs?

• 15:50Speaker 02

  I was glad we got tested like that prior to the bye week because I felt like we would need that game under our belt going forward, obviously, you know, then the chain of events going forward. But then at the same time, there's, there's not room for excuses. You know, everyone deals with, with injuries, everyone deals with setbacks and adversity throughout the season. So then you start thinking like, dang, how could I have possibly made a way? How could I have possibly shifted the momentum in certain games to probably put us over the hump for a few games? And that's what you think about all off season, but man, going into that bye week, I, I just knew, I'm like, hey, we, we have the team. We have the guys to do it.

• 16:26Ryan Clark?

  Tell me about the Philip Rivers experience.

• 16:28Speaker 02

  Well, obviously, so you guys, I played with Philip in 2020. So the guys who were here, it was a few of us, we knew what Philip brought to the table. Like, we knew the energy he brought, the leadership, but we also knew what he brought to the game as far as like, hey, we gonna snap the ball with like, two seconds left. But prior to that, he's gonna make sure we in the best position possible. But it was awesome and crazy to think, like, if they had have called me, after five years, I might have just been like, yo, listen, man, I wish y'all all the best, but I don't know if I can do that after five years. But the fact of he was so confident in his ability is like, hey, I know how to play the game. Like, he plays the game with his mind so well. So it was, it was awesome to get another go around, because I don't think I really understood my rookie year.

• 17:13Speaker 02

  Like, I knew, hey, it's Philip Rivers, this is a legend, but like, the second time around, it was that much sweeter. Because I'm like, man, like, I'm really on the field as a vet, like, with Philip Rivers and really seeing how he operates. I'm like, man, this is, this is crazy.

• 17:25Ryan Clark?

  It was, I was here for that Monday night game against San Francisco, and you know, he was dealing early for real. And I was thinking to myself, is Philip Rivers gonna win this game? But it, to be able to come out and have that sort of command of the offense, but also that level of confidence in yourself, bro, look, I'm 46 right now. They call me out here, it's bombs, first play, it's missed tackle. It's a pull hamstring.

• 17:53Speaker 02

  That hamstring gone.

• 17:56Ryan Clark?

  The fact that he was out there and able to do it, man, it was really cool. And I think that he got his flowers for what he was before he retired during that time. Because people did, like you say, recognize that, no, man, this is one of those guys from the 2004 draft that were part of an epic and historical draft class, getting another opportunity to be seen.

• 18:18Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends. Like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an ultra because it's not just a superior like beer. It's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 18:47Fred Taylor?

  And I agree with you, JT. The second time around can be sweet. Even the third time can be sweeter. And I think for your second time, it was 2023. You were in the contract talks. In that moment, I think you you didn't do camp during the negotiations. Correct. But this time around, it was different. You trusted the organization knowing that they would take care of you. You showed up and the deal got done. Talk about growth and and trusting them and making sure that you were here for your teammates. And you know, for that whole to to be able to take away the negative stuff that the media probably will try to throw on top of it. What made you show up?

• 19:25Speaker 02

  For number one, I think athletes are so regimented that coming off that injury season in 2022 and and needing to have surgery, like you hear a timeline and you think, okay, as long as I put the work in, I should expect this result at this time point. And that was that was my first like, and I don't even want to call it like a major injury because the guys have gone through like a lot worse. But just having that surgery and understanding finally like everyone heals differently. Like even if you put the work in, it still may not be the result you want at the end. Similar to football, similarly, you put the work in all week and you may not end up with the win at the at the end of the week. But I think that was a big thing for me going into 2023 was being frustrated as well of,

• 20:10Speaker 02

  hey, why am I not ready? Like I've I've done the continuous work day in and day out to try to put myself in a position to be to be ready. So this time around, obviously being healthy and then also building that relationship over the the past years that I've been here, especially with our general manager, the front office, the ownership, the Ursay family of, hey, listen, we're all going to do things the right way. And like I said, I do take part in that the first time around of definitely being frustrated of not being healthy when I know I put the work in. So understanding that we all had the same common goal the first time around, but we also had the same common goal the second time around. Everyone wanted the same thing.

• 20:52Speaker 02

  So I think when everyone's on the same page, your coaches, your teammates, the front office, it's like it makes everything that much easier. And all you have to do is just focus on getting better each day. And you know, you let your agent, you let those guys off of the field, do what they do off the field. They're experts in that field and that's why they they have that job. So I just think in trusting, like you mentioned, in trusting everyone with all of those off field things, it was easy for me this time to be able to just focus on what I had to do.

• 21:19Channing Crowder?

  I always joke with running back coaches that they are a waste of time. Boys like y'all.

• 21:25Speaker 02

  Running back coaches?

• 21:26Channing Crowder?

  They're the biggest waste of money on any.

• 21:29Fred Taylor?

  They can teach you how to pass protect. Shout out to Coach Smith.

• 21:34Channing Crowder?

  But but the turnover, just to that thought of that, like y'all boys are just talented people, but then you've had multiple quarterbacks, you've had multiple coaches. Does that change anything for you? How does how does changing coaches? We love Steichen. Every time you see a cool dude.

• 21:48Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 21:48Channing Crowder?

  And you know what I'm saying? And then, but you just had so much turnover, Daniel, AR, and then Philip Rivers is crazy. I played against Philip Rivers and we old, old. Like what what does that do to a running back that you're so naturally talented? But how does that change your approach? What does all the turnover in the recent years do to you?

• 22:05Speaker 02

  Well, number one, I think it's different depending on the coaching position or depending on the the player position, like especially our quarterback position. First thing I always do when there's a new quarterback, hey, what do you like a running back to do that makes your job easier? Like, do you like a running back that, you know, gets onto his route early? Do you like a running back that's like, hey, just make sure all the protection is solid before you even get out? So that's the number one thing because at the end of the day, I always tell this to my quarterbacks, it's just me and you back here. Like I got your back. It's me like at the end of the day, everybody else is up front and you got to see what's going on. It's me and you back here. So I got your back. But with the coaches, it depends on if there's a scheme change. Now you have to you have to learn a new scheme. You have to learn if there's, you know, a new offensive blocking scheme.

• 22:49Speaker 02

  It's it's just figuring out. I feel like sometimes a running back is figuring out where you fit in the puzzle. You know, a lot of overall arching scheme and and when coaches have plays, usually they are plugging the running back here. Hey, we're going to have you run this route. Hey, you're going to check protection and then do this. So you're just that missing piece. You're just that missing that final puzzle. So for me, it's just being a sponge and being adaptable. That's why I said it earlier. I feel like running backs are one of the most quintessential like players and positions on the field because we have to do so much. We have to adapt and change and and just do stuff on the fly. That's just what we do, but we're versatile and we can do that.

• 23:27Ryan Clark?

  You know, you look at your ability to strike big plays from 2021 to 2025. It's Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor for a plus 15 yard run. You've had 69 in that time. 16 of those have gone for touchdowns. That's only second to Derrick Henry. When you look around the league, how much of it is for you to a level of competitiveness against some of those great backs that, you know, you got to watch some of them before you got here, you obviously get to see them now, to be counted amongst the best in the league along with the Henrys and the Barkleys and the Robinsons and the Gibbs?

• 24:10Speaker 02

  It means a lot because like there's some talented dudes in this league, like dudes where you watch them and you like, he got like he he he got it. Like whatever it is, he got it. Yeah, you could tell you like, all right, me, I'm gonna work hard. I'm gonna make sure I'm on my right run track. I'm gonna make sure I got my right reads, but he got it. But it is a it's a brotherhood, but like you mentioned, a competitiveness of like we all want to be the best. And I know you guys already spoke to Derrick before, like the stuff he's doing is insane. Like I don't, I don't think people really even understand like, not even the trajectory because it's like what he's doing, like what he's doing is insane. And and at the level of consistency he's been doing it.

• 24:51Speaker 02

  And I think that's a that's also a benchmark and a blueprint for backs as far as that consistency. As a running back, the first thing they always say is, oh, well, once he gets a certain age or oh, once this hit or once he gets injured, then it's always just every year they're waiting for the falloff. And then let's say something happens, oh, I knew it. You've been saying that the past four or five years.

• 25:12Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, right.

• 25:13Speaker 02

  So to to see that level of dominance throughout his entire career as well as other guys as well, it's like, okay, one, how do I mimic that? Now, it may look different because guys have different skill sets and different talents, but how do you mimic that? Because at the end of the day, what the fans want, what the coaches want, what your teammates want is the same guy week in and week out at a high level. That's what matters because that's going to ultimately translate to wins.

• 25:38Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, something you said earlier struck me when Fred asked you about how do how could you have changed draft night for yourself? When you look at the numbers, I when I watched the film, I was like, he could play football, right? That's normally what it takes, but there's obviously draft slots and and how you value a person. You talked about all that Derrick Henry's accomplished. As good as he is, he's a Hall of Famer in my opinion, no championship, right? Look at Christian McCaffrey, the same thing. And that would always be the knock on running backs, right? You can have the best running back in the in the entire league, but that doesn't mean you win a championship, right? That doesn't always equate to success.

• 26:20Ryan Clark?

  What more do you feel like you can do here and the Colts can do? So the Jonathan Taylor production equals the wins in the most important time of the football season?

• 26:31Speaker 02

  I think at that point in time, it comes into a fact of what is the situation? And yeah, one thing that Coach Steichen does is he always tries to find a way to put his players in the best position for success. So, hey, who do we have out there? What are what is their skill set? And what plays do I have in my bag that's gonna increase that, enhance that tenfold? So I feel like in those moments, I always have this quote, and you guys probably heard it before, be at your best when your best is needed. Because I honestly think that Shane is, if not one, a top three play caller in the NFL. So then it becomes the player's job of, okay, you need to trust in the coach, trust in Shane to be able to say, hey, this is the best possible situation.

• 27:15Speaker 02

  It's the best possible play we can be in. Now it's on you guys to execute. So as us as players, it's especially as a running back, it's like, okay, what's the down and distance? Where are we at? Is it third and one? What do we need? What do I need to do to be at my best to ensure that happens? Because at the end of the day, the coaches trust their players, like they have to be able to trust them. So you have to go out there and perform and execute. So I think going forward, especially into this year, is in those critical moments. Because you guys know, most of the games always come down to situational football. It's not just the big splash plays, you know what I'm saying? So in those critical situations, the things that you rehearse day in and day out, the things that seem mundane, most of the time it comes down to stuff like that.

• 27:56Fred Taylor?

  Yeah. And at this point in your career, you're 27. You're you're the guy in the locker room where the rookies pull up, they were watching you in high school. Have you have you thought about that?

• 28:08Speaker 02

  Yeah, it's kind of it's insane because early in my career, shout out Marlon Mack, we had Marlon Mack in our room and he was the vet. And then once Marlo and Nahim, shout out to Nahim, once he left, I was still like 24, but I was like the vet in the room. So they're like, oh, JT, it's on you. And I'm like, what y'all, I'm like, it's only my like fourth year out here. So it but it's crazy now that like.

• 28:39Speaker 02

  I am truly the vet, like year seven, you're like, okay, I have to come in with a certain level of maturity, but also a certain level of mentorship. Like guys have watched me growing up, so what can I give back to them? Because vets have given me so much as well in my, in my own running back room. They've given me so much, so I just want to pay it forward.

• 29:00Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, that's what I, I kind of want to get into the leadership part of that. Like, what does that look like for you now that you have the young guys coming and looking up at you? Being able to hold them accountable, but not wanting them to be, be you.

• 29:15Speaker 02

  For me, I think a big thing is telling them about my experience, especially, you know, as a rookie, you're going to do certain things that, that you're like, why did I do that? But then when you have a vet, especially someone that you look up to, it's like, hey, don't even worry, because I did the exact same thing, like, I did the exact same thing. So you're no different, you're not on any different trajectory or path than I was at that point in time. So I think that gives them a certain level of, I don't even want to say comfort, but understanding like, okay, he learned from that, I can learn from that as well. But that's a big thing I also say too, is like, try not to make the same mistake twice.

• 29:51Fred Taylor?

  Has, has, has becoming a father this offseason changed any of that? Shout out, Jalen, welcome.

• 29:57Speaker 02

  It definitely has, I mean, that's, that's an unbelievable feeling, but you kind of even just look at, look at your child's face and say, okay, the level of discipline and the level of commitment that I have on the field, it's like, not even transfers over to you, because you still want to have that on the field, but you're like, I want to have that same approach here, but tenfold, like tenfold. And you don't, you don't even know how you're going to do it, but you're like, I gotta, I gotta enhance that even more. And you want to, it's a, you guys know, it's a, it's a indescribable feeling.

• 30:32Fred Taylor?

  No doubt.

• 30:33Speaker 02

  So for me, it's taking that mindset of like, okay, how can I, how can I give knowledge or how can I give advice to these young backs? Not that I would, you know, give to my child about football, but in the same sense of like, hey, I'm going to try to give my child as many, as much life advice as I can.

• 30:52Fred Taylor?

  Correct.

• 30:52Speaker 02

  As I go through life, as I continue to go through life, a life I've already lived. So I just want to continue to be one of those voices in the running back room and the locker room to be able to just pay it forward.

• 31:05Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competition between you and your friends. Like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an Ultra. Because it's not just a superior light beer, it's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 31:33Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, man.

• 31:36Ryan Clark?

  Those young backs can't think they can beat Jonathan Taylor. I remember sitting in the room with, with Junior Sayhaw and Zach Thomas and watching film being like, I can't do that. I can't do that either.

• 31:47Ryan Clark?

  Let me get this check and see what we gonna do after this, after the check come in. But to talk, I think it's, I don't want to say a golden age, but there, we all brought up Bijon, Henry, it's, it's a lot of backs out there. Are you as a vet to the point where you can watch, Bijon plays the slot, they put him at the X sometimes. He's running rear receiver routes. Do you ever see the dudes or the, the opportunities they have and be like, hey, Coach? I can slide to that slot if you need me to.

• 32:14Speaker 02

  No, for sure, look. But I think, I think it's that competitiveness, like that we mentioned, like, hey, I understand, okay, that may not be the scheme that we run. Hey Shane, I know that if you, you wanted to, you could put a couple of uniques in. But it's also, then you got to prove it. You got to show them that, and they got to trust you, that's, that's where the trust comes in. So it all comes full circle, but then like, you mentioned it earlier, like, hey, you can't expect them to be Jonathan Taylor. And one thing I do as well, when I'm watching young guys and we watching film, I'm like, hey, good cut. I'm like, hey, how'd you see that? Because it doesn't matter if you're a vet, it don't matter if you're a young guy. If you made a play, you made a play. So I'm thinking, what was in your mind? Or, hey, did you work on that in the offseason?

• 32:56Speaker 02

  Because then now those young guys are like, dang, okay, JT thought that was a good cut. Or man, hey, why is he worried about what I'm thinking? Like, he's the one that's like, no, you could always get better, you could always get better. Like, you see these younger generations coming up, Bijon, Gears, Gentey, Jeremiah, it's like, hey.

• 33:13Ryan Clark?

  They're different.

• 33:16Ryan Clark?

  But I, I think though too, it's guys like you and, and Saquon, CMC, Derrick Henry, making the running back position important again. And showing that you could do multiple things. And that was kind of what Le'Veon was pushing when he wanted to get paid back in the day. He was like, man, look at all I do, how do I get paid for that? And now you're starting to see some of those things happening. And listening to you talk about your son and the way you want to parent him and guide him, makes me think about Carly Ursay Gordon, right? She, she's taken over, or she took over for an iconic owner and CEO. Talk a little bit about how important her guidance has been

• 34:00Ryan Clark?

  to making sure that the Colts stay on the right track. And I'm just going to be honest, I am 100% fascinated with the job she's been doing. And the way that she wants to be a part of what the next generation of the Colts is. So talk a little bit about Carly Ursay Gordon and how she's sort of acclimated herself to running this team her way.

• 34:23Speaker 02

  Man, it's been, first of all, I'm always grateful for the, for the Ursay family. They gave not only myself an opportunity, but they, they gave my family an opportunity to, you know, change our trajectory. But I think that learning about this organization when I got here, I, I knew that it was a little different. Even from the stories that I've heard about people and other players from other organizations, it's not like this organization, like, they really do treat their players and their staff like, like family. Like, they'll do things, especially even behind the scenes, that fans and people don't even know about. If you're in this building, they do truly care about you. So I know Mr. Ursay probably was preparing like, hey, and then whenever that was, you know,

• 35:07Speaker 02

  even if people would have lived on to being 100 years old of like, I want you guys to, you know, carry on the tradition and legacy. And I hear stories, we got Reggie Wayne, you know, in our locker room, and he's telling us stories of how much Mr. Ursay cared and was always around the team and took care of the players and the staff. And I think that Carly is taking that same path, that same trajectory. You see her out on the sidelines every day, she's asking questions. She's asking not only about ball, but she's asking about your personal life. Like, she's trying to get to know her players. So in my mind, I just envisioned that is what Mr. Ursay was doing when he was constantly out on the field and around the players in that locker room. And I don't think, I don't think you get that in, in every organization.

• 35:48Speaker 02

  So I'm truly grateful to have been here, because I do know it can be tough in, in other situations.

• 35:55Fred Taylor?

  Are you familiar with the number 9226?

• 35:59Speaker 02

  9226. No, 92.

• 36:03Fred Taylor?

  What about 7598?

• 36:05Speaker 02

  7598, that's my, that's my yardage, I think that's my yardage.

• 36:08Fred Taylor?

  So 9226.

• 36:10Ryan Clark?

  I was over here Googling.

• 36:13Ryan Clark?

  They say it can refer to several different technical and commercial items. I was like, 9226.

• 36:19Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, 9226 is the other great running back that played here, EJ, Edron James, Colts singles, uh, career record. So since you're not familiar with it, at the moment, was it 1,629 yards short of, of, of breaking it? What would it mean to you, knowing that Edron's a Hall of Famer, a Hall of Fame person as well? What would it mean to you to break that record and become the Colts all-time leading rusher?

• 36:47Speaker 02

  I mean, that, that would be like, I don't even want to say unimaginable, because when, you know, things get a little closer, you, you start seeing it a little more, but it would just be a blessing, because not only Edge, as elite and as great as he was, like you mentioned, Hall of Famer, the guys who have toed it to rock in this organization.

• 37:08Fred Taylor?

  Derrick, Derrickson.

• 37:09Speaker 02

  You know, like Edge is above those guys.

• 37:11Fred Taylor?

  Yeah.

• 37:12Speaker 02

  So to, to be at that position, I wouldn't, I would not take that lightly. Now, obviously, I hope and pray, and I'm going to work for and work towards, if that does happen, that, that translates it to wins and we're in the playoffs trying to make a push. Uh, because sometimes the worst thing is you have, you know, you have a great season, but it didn't ultimately translate to the goal that you wanted at the end of the season. So if, if that's in the cards, obviously, I'm going to work my tail off each and every single day, but I have nothing but respect for Edge. I mean, he's been nothing but helpful since I've been here, always sending me messages, even when he's in the locker room before games, giving me words of encouragement, like, Edge is a true dude, like, Hall of Famer. He a Hall of Famer, you know what I'm saying? He did it his way.

• 37:57Speaker 02

  And I think that's a, that's a big thing about it too, is he did it his way. And I think that's inspiring.

• 38:02Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, all-time great Hall of Fame speech. I mean, absolutely, all-time great Hall of Fame speech. Just the entire thought process behind it, but I just think the intention and what I gathered, because I was there, what I got from it, I thought it was absolutely amazing. So the 2026 Colts, Daniel Jones fought back hard from an injury. You know, you guys have an opportunity to continue what started early last year, which was cut short by his injury. For you, what you, do you feel has been the focus of this team throughout training camp thus far? That saying, hey, we know we got the dudes in the room, let's have that sense of urgency to find a way to go get it done this year?

• 38:47Speaker 02

  Number one, what you just mentioned, having a sense of urgency, but also understanding. Last year, the beginning of last year, that's not just gonna happen. We gotta make it happen. But we have an advantage. I think our advantage is that we're still together. Like, the core group of guys are still here. So let's use that chemistry that we have as an advantage. We can, you don't wanna skip steps, but you know, like, hey, we got an understanding of how each other operates. We know how Danny operates the huddle. So let's try to be crisp and pristine on those early things that we need to make sure we have under our belt, get the foundation so that we can get rolling in camp early. We wanna get rolling in camp early so that when the season comes,

• 39:30Speaker 02

  we're already firing on all cylinders, similar to what we did last year. But you also know, last year wasn't good enough. So then, how do we get even better from last year? I think that's really our goal. It's not to mimic last year, because ultimately, you know, our goal, we didn't achieve our goal is, how do we get even better from last year? But use our advantage of, we still have the same core group of guys. So that's an advantage for us. There are some guys starting over, some teams starting over, new coaches, new quarterback, new defense, new team. How can we use that to our advantage?

• 39:58Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, the big thing is this, though, this year, is people will be expecting it, right? You know, last year, we were trying to figure out, what Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones gonna be? We gotta do defensive coordinator. There were all these different things. And so it takes a while for other teams to understand how you guys will approach each and every game. So this year, they'll know, nah, the Colts can be this. And people will be ready. And so it'll be making that adjustment as well.

• 40:24Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, and for the first time, we've completed our AFC South run during this training camp tour. So I appreciate you for taking the time to sit with us. I know we talked about it for a while. And maybe minus two games on the season, talking about AFC South? I root for you, but I don't root for you to see the Taylor 28.

• 40:45Fred Taylor?

  I want you to do well, but I want us to win those games. Because I am a fan first. I do admire your running style, who you are as a person. I love seeing the Taylor 28 run down the field, because it reminds me of, you know, Taylor 28, man. So I, one of your biggest fans, I always been your corner, you know? And I'm a Tex away, so I appreciate you.

• 41:07Speaker 02

  Man, thank you very much, Fred. That means a lot, you know, coming from you. You weren't on the backs that paved the way. And a lot of people, it's crazy, a lot of people are telling me like, man, you know, you kinda look like Fred Taylor, man, when you're running down the field. I don't know, man, they said Fred T was different. So I'm just trying, I'm trying my best.

• 41:23Fred Taylor?

  You smoother than I was. I get out there, I look like I'm doing 100. You just.

• 41:28Ryan Clark?

  JT, he also had pads that were this big.

• 41:31Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, the pads, man, they was crazy.

• 41:33Ryan Clark?

  Even, then, I'm even thinking about before you. I'm like, I don't know how they, they was just downhill with those pads. Downhill, right here. Yeah, it was, it was a different thing. Man, JT, man, we do appreciate you, bro. Like, I know, you know, we talk about camp, but taking this much time to sit with us, talk to us, and also the way that you communicated, how thoughtful you were, it was really one of the best sit downs we've had. And hopefully, this season goes away, where we do this again in 2026 or sometime soon.

• 42:01Speaker 02

  Man, I appreciate you, RC. Hopefully, we could do it again, man. I'm a big fan. You guys are, similar to what I said about Ed, you guys are doing it, you guys doing it your own way. And you're doing it the right way. So it's very inspiring.

• 42:11Ryan Clark?

  Man, appreciate you, my boy.

• 42:12Speaker 02

  Thank you.

• 42:12Ryan Clark?

  JT, you be talking like you weren't getting out of there, man. No, so you used to be getting out of there, dawg.

• 42:19Fred Taylor?

  I used to skate, boy.

• 42:22Speaker 02

  Look, Frank told me, he said, man, you was, I think he was like 30 something, he said you went 4'3"?

• 42:27Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, when we were training together.

• 42:29Ryan Clark?

  Bro, he went 4'2"8". He said he went, when he went to train for the combine, the coach told him, just go back to the house. I can't do nothing for you.

• 42:36Fred Taylor?

  I came out 2'26". I ran at 2'26".

• 42:40Ryan Clark?

  Yeah, you were 4'2"8", man.

• 42:42Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, it was crazy. He's talking about a different breed, right?

• 42:46Ryan Clark?

  You know what I'm saying? Like, some people got it. Do you have your basketball picture on your phone?

• 42:51Fred Taylor?

  Man, watch that, bro.

• 42:52Ryan Clark?

  He said, watch that. He got a high school basketball picture, dawg. He about 205, shredded, traps up to here, bro.

• 43:00Fred Taylor?

  Yeah, I was, that was crazy.

• 43:01Speaker 02

  He talking about, hey, that's me in the middle. Let me see, you know who you are.

• 43:08Fred Taylor?

  Bro, that's crazy, dawg.