Colts' Taylor Dubbed 'Best Player in Football' by Teammate

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been the cornerstone of the franchise for the last six years.

Ever since he was drafted in the second round out of Wisconsin in 2020, Taylor has been the workhorse of the Colts' offense. Even with a constant rotation of quarterbacks under center, Taylor's contributions have stayed the same.

Although Taylor was a high selection in the draft, Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was chosen seven picks before him. The two have grown alongside each other since linking up in Indianapolis, and Pittman has all the praise for Taylor after his recent three-touchdown performance against the Tennessee Titans.

“I mean, that's probably the biggest flex that I have like in the whole NFL – like they drafted me before JT (Jonathan Taylor), and now he's the best player in football," Pittman said. "... Just knowing that we came in together, that we're classmates, and we really put on for our 2020 class. It’s something special about it. And just JT, he's so great. I mean, you never know when he's going to break a tackle. I mean, there [were] two separate runs [on Sunday] where he broke like five tackles. Like, I've never seen it before."

Jonathan Taylor vs. the Titans:

🔹 17 att
🔹 102 yards
🔹 6 yards per carry
🔹 3 touchdowns pic.twitter.com/GIMzbBexf2
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 21, 2025

Taylor's rushing prowess has been spectacular, but the Colts wouldn't be undefeated through three weeks if it weren't for the great play from quarterback Daniel Jones.

Pittman took the time to credit Jones' fantastic start and shared a story that reflects Jones' unmatched work ethic.

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“Just about every time I call him about something, he's watching film, breaking down coverages, figuring out ways to get us the football," Pittman told reporters. "I mean, every single time that I call him I'm like hey bro – because we do dinner on Thursdays. And every single time, he's like ‘Yeah, I'm on the way. I just had to break down these last couple looks.’ I'm like, ‘Bro, take a break.’ But I mean, that's just who he is, and I think his hard work is showing up on Sundays.”

Like Pittman said, Jones' hard work off the field is certainly translating onto the field. He's the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw for 3+ touchdowns, rush for 3+ touchdowns, and have zero turnovers in the first three games of the season.

Daniel Jones is the first player in the Super Bowl era with 3+ pass TD, 3+ rush TD, and no giveaways in the first 3 games of a season.#ForTheShoe | Colts
— Tony Holzman-Escareno (@FrontOfficeNFL) September 21, 2025

Pittman has been one of the top targets for Jones, hauling in 16 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns to start the season. He was on the receiving end of the first touchdown of the season for Indianapolis, and he hasn't slowed down since.

Pittman struggled with injuries and staying on top of his game last season, but he says he feels refreshed in 2025.

"Last year was probably the hardest year of my football career in terms of just the day-to-day, getting through it. I'm just so happy that everything that I did to get healthy and to this point has really paid off... I'm starting to feel like myself again, confidence is back up. I'm just excited to play every single week. Honestly I just wake up and I'm like, ‘How reckless can I be without hurting myself today?’ Like that’s just what I tell myself.”

Pittman's determination to stay on the field and put his body on the line every day is a testament to his character. The Colts' playoff drought could end this season, and Pittman's yearly sacrifices are paying off thanks to team-focused football under head coach Shane Steichen.

The Colts will look to improve to 4-0 against the Los Angeles Rams this weekend in their second road matchup of the year.

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