Hall of Famer helped mend Colts relationship with RB Jonathan Taylor

Hall of Fame RB Edgerrin James Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Hall of Famer helped mend relationship between Colts and RB Jonathan Taylor

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 10/7/23

In a stunning turn of events, the Indianapolis Colts and Jonathan Taylor agreed to a lengthy contract extension on Saturday, locking up the star running back through the 2026 season.

After months of unpleasantries, a deal that made both sides happy came to fruition due in part to a Hall of Fame mediator, according to owner Jim Irsay. Shortly after news of Taylor's three-year, $42 million extension broke, Irsay revealed that former Colts RB Edgerrin James played a significant role in mending the relationship between team and star player.

On a call with reporters, Jim Irsay said that Edgerrin James was a mediator in repairing the Colts' relationship with Jonathan Taylor.
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) October 7, 2023

Unlike Taylor, James never signed a second contract with the Colts. Selected fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft, James inked a seven-year rookie deal, playing the final year on the franchise tag after meeting contract incentives. However, like Taylor, the Colts asked James to play an integral part in the growth of a young quarterback, Peyton Manning. Perhaps James felt compelled to get involved and help solve the turmoil between Taylor and the Colts, knowing how important the former is for a developing QB like rookie Anthony Richardson.

If anyone would understand a solid running game's impact, it'd be James. Surpassing 1,000 yards rushing in his first two seasons in the NFL, James helped the Colts go from a 3-13 team in Manning's rookie year to a playoff team in back-to-back campaigns.

Without Taylor this season, Zack Moss did an admirable job, averaging the third-most yards per game (93.3) in the NFL. Taylor is already a proven commodity, averaging 1,280 yards (5.1 YPA) over three NFL seasons. With him behind Richardson in the backfield, chances are the Colts rushing attack and offense, as a whole, will be even more dangerous.

However the Colts and Taylor reached this point shouldn't matter. Everyone got what they wanted. Taylor got paid and the Colts now have a difference-making star player for Richardson and first-year head coach Shane Steichen to lean on.

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