Should Colts Fans Be Worried About Jonathan Taylor’s Surgery?
With all of the attention directed toward the head coaching search of the Indianapolis Colts, some may have missed the news regarding their All-Pro running back.
Last Sunday, it was revealed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Jonathan Taylor underwent surgery on his right ankle on January 25. The surgery was done by Dr. Robert Anderson in Green Bay.
Taylor first injured his ankle in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans, causing him to miss his first NFL game action. Taylor was kept out for two games before returning in Week 7 against the Washington Commanders. He also missed Week 9 against the New England Patriots because of the ankle.
The final blow came in Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings when Taylor reinjured his ankle and did not return. The All-Pro running back was placed on injured reserve shortly after, ending his season.
Taylor’s 2022 season was disappointing, according to his standards. After being named a First-Team All-Pro and leading the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2021, Taylor managed a career-low 861 yards and four touchdowns. While the troubles of the Colts’ offensive line played a part, Taylor never felt right after initially injuring his ankle.
Originally, the plan was for Taylor to focus on resting and rehabbing the ankle in the hope that surgery could be avoided.
“It feels a lot better than what it did,” Taylor said a few weeks ago when asked about the ankle. “So, continue to progress and work through that in the offseason. Come back stronger than ever. You hope it doesn’t happen again.”
But there was still something in the ankle that was not healing properly. Taylor continued to feel discomfort as rest and rehab failed to get him to 100%. After meeting with Dr. Anderson and Colts’ team doctor Dr. David Porter, the decision was made to move forward with surgery.
Lower body injuries have caused Colts fans a considerable amount of pain and worry over the past few seasons. Andrew Luck dealt with a calf and ankle injury before he announced his shocking retirement in 2019. Shaquille Leonard has been dealing with back and ankle injuries since the 2021 season, resulting in multiple surgeries that only allowed the linebacker to play 74 snaps in 2022.
Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
With that being said, do Colts fans need to be worried about Taylor’s ankle injury as well? In a word, no.
Taylor underwent an arthroscopic debridement, which is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure to remove small amounts of broken cartilage and tissue in an attempt to reduce pain and improve movement. The surgery was successful, and Taylor was able to go home the same day. No structural damage was found on his right ankle.
"That thing had a bunch of junk in there from a bunch of years," Taylor told NFL Network. "Just finally had to clean it out and make sure I'm good to go. We finally had the time to get it right, make sure I'm 100% ready to rock. That's all you can ask.”
Many NFL players undergo non-invasive arthroscopic surgeries every year as the game takes a toll on their bodies. The procedure was not deemed serious, and Taylor is expected to make a full recovery.
Taylor’s injury is much different than that of Luck and Leonard. Doctors could not pinpoint what was causing Luck’s calf and ankle to hurt, and no treatment helped the healing process. The injury to Leonard turned out to be a nerve issue, which he has since said has been fixed with his most recent surgery.
The timing of the surgery is also good as it allows Taylor to rest and heal well before it is time to return to the field. The Colts will take things slow with Taylor to make sure he gets back to 100%. Do not expect Taylor to participate in OTAs in a few months, but Taylor usually does not participate much during this period when healthy, as the Colts save him for the regular season.
But Taylor is expected to be full go for the start of training camp. He has plenty of time to rest and get ready to rebound for the 2023 season.
"The number one thing is taking time to heal," Taylor explained. "The number two thing is relaxing, just mentally, after the type of season we had. Get healthy, decompress mentally. I'll be on my feet in no time."
You can all breathe a sigh of relief, Colts fans. JT is going to be just fine.
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