Jonathan Taylor on Anthony Richardson: ‘It’s About to Get Scary’
The Indianapolis Colts have a new offensive identity that will be spearheaded by Anthony Richardson and Shane Steichen. One constant? Jonathan Taylor will return as the focal point of the Colts’ offense in 2023. Despite necessary change elsewhere, Taylor remains Indianapolis' most important offensive player.
Taylor joined Horseshoe Huddle for an exclusive conversation while promoting his partnership with Campbell’s Chunky and the Chunky Sacks Hunger relief program. Taylor discussed partnering with Richardson in the backfield, Steichen as the new head coach and his offensive philosophies, Taylor's recovery from last season’s ankle injury, and more. Taylor is excited about what Steichen and Richardson are bringing to the organization.
JM: You’ve teamed up with Campbell’s Chunky to host a food donation event at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Food Distribution Center as part of the Chunky Sacks Hunger relief program. The program is designed to fight food inequality. Why is this cause so important to you and your family?
Taylor: We’re out here at OTAs. I’m all about Gleaners today. They did some amazing work in partnership with Chunky Sacks Hunger. This program is so important to me and my family.
I tell people this all of the time from a firsthand basis. Having gone through the public school system, there were a lot of times where kids came to school without a warm lunch. A lot of those kids went home to empty refrigerators as well. They may not eat again until the next day at school. That breaks my heart.
I’ve witnessed that. When I was presented with an opportunity to partner with Campbell’s Chunky to help fight food inequality in my own community of Indianapolis, I wanted to help out Gleaners with this tall task. It was a no-brainer for me. I’ve seen how food inequality can affect young children and an entire family.
JM: It’s a terrific program and you all are doing terrific work together. You dealt with an injury that forced you to miss time in 2022 for the first time in your career dating back to college. What was your mindset like as you had to overcome that adversity?
Taylor: It was really about making sure I stayed true to my plan. I had to attack the rehab process. Like you said, it was really my first time going through such an injury that sidelined me.
I think that’s a testament to my routine. I’ve always been very in-tune when it comes to taking care of my body. I watch what I eat and follow a proper nutrition program. I’m always putting in the physical work as well.
This is a physical sport and injuries are unfortunately going to happen. What really matters is how you respond. How are you going to attack it? What’s your plan? How are you going to overcome adversity? That’s exactly what you said, Justin, I love that word "adversity" because that’s exactly what it was. It’s about being detailed throughout the rehab and recovery process.
JM: You’ve done just that. You’re in the city. Rookie minicamp is going on. The fan-base is buzzing following the selection of Anthony Richardson. What was your reaction like?
Taylor: I was very excited. If you look at his skill set, the sky’s the limit for him. Now it’s all about coming in and absorbing the coaching aspect of it. He has to absorb the little nuggets of knowledge that our veterans are going to offer him.
I know that’s what helped me when I was a rookie in this league. That’s how I came into my own. If he does that, the sky’s the limit for Anthony Richardson.
JM: He's a big, athletic quarterback. Who does he remind you of?
Taylor: You look at the guys that are in the league now. He reminds me of Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson. Looking at the size component, you’d throw Cam Newton in there as well. He’s a physical threat.
With today’s NFL coaching, Richardson will take the mental component of his game to the next level. Coach Shane Steichen is a tremendous guy for our job.
Like I mentioned earlier, as long as he [Richardson] comes in willing to absorb the information, it’s going to get real scary out there on the field for opposing defenses.
JM: It sure is. You mentioned coach Steichen and Jalen Hurts. Coach Steichen had a lot of success running RPOs with Hurts in Philadelphia. Is that something you can see yourself running with Richardson?
Taylor: Definitely. The biggest thing [with RPOs] is having somebody available that can execute it. I want to help take the burden off of Richardson. Coming into the NFL can be a lot to handle. You have to get used to the speed of the game. It’s a lot quicker.
The mental side of the game is certainly more important. I can only imagine what that’s like for a rookie quarterback coming into this league.
I’m letting Richardson know that I’m here and I have his back no matter what the case may be. Whether that means running RPOs, in pass protection, or if he needs somebody as an outlet in the passing game. It could just mean me being efficient in the run game for him.
We’re all here to help out whoever starts at quarterback for us. That’s how we’re designing this offense. Specifically with Richardson as a rookie, we need to make sure this is a comfortable environment for him.
That’s the best way for him to get acclimated. Once he gets acclimated, he’s going to take off.
JM: What's your early impressions of coach Steichen?
Taylor: I feel like he loves the game of football. That may sound straightforward because every head coach loves football, but when I really listen to coach Steichen, I’m super impressed with how much he cares about the intricate details.
It’s not about whether or not the job gets done. The job may get done, but Coach Steichen will be watching the film and identifying teachable moments (laughs). You did a great job, but we can correct this false step. Instead of going underneath this guy, go over the top next time.
He’s very critical when it comes to the details of football. I love that. I feel like he really has a passion for the game. He wants everyone else to have the same passion. Hone in on your details. Don’t just do your job, do it well. Work at your craft.
JM: He sounds like a terrific leader. What's the biggest difference between his offense and coach Frank Reich’s offense?
Taylor: Like you mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of RPOs in this offense. Rightfully so because Coach Steichen did a great job with that [RPOs] in previous years. He ran this kind of system to great success in Philadelphia.
It’s all about everyone being on the same page. It’s a fast-paced offense. We need to make sure we’re in the physical condition necessary to handle the demands of this offense. We have to make sure we're in the right mental state as well. We have to study this playbook.
We’re going to be a fast-tempo offense. We’re going to play fast. You have to be detail-oriented in order to play fast.
JM: The offense sounds exciting. The Colts drafted Anthony Richardson. The Jaguars already have Trevor Lawrence. The Texans drafted C.J. Stroud and the Titans drafted Will Levis. What’s your take on the young quarterbacks and how it will shape the future of the AFC South?
Taylor: I think you just mentioned it. It’s going to shake-up the future of the AFC South. There are a lot of new faces. It’s going to be exciting to see how each quarterback develops.
Personally, I think that our guy [Richardson] will develop faster than everyone else. I think he’s going to excel in this league. I may be biased, but that’s how I feel (laughs).
It’s going to be interesting to monitor moving forward. We haven’t seen any of these quarterbacks except for Trevor Lawrence. There are a lot of new faces in the division. It’s an exciting time for the AFC South.
JM: You can say that again! We've appreciated your time. Thank you for the excellent work you’re doing with Chunky Sacks Hunger to help fight food inequality in Indianapolis. What are Jonathan Taylor's goals for the 2023 campaign?
Taylor: Everybody wants to be healthy and available. I want to perform for my team. Going above and beyond that, I want to help lead my team. I want to help the younger guys that have come into our building. I want to show them the right way to handle their business in the NFL.
Ultimately, the goal is to win a Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
