Jonathan Taylor has been on an unprecedented run to begin the 2025 NFL season. Taking over from where Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley left off in the last two years, he has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate this season. A key reason for the Indianapolis Colts’ 7-2 start is his legendary pace.
However, last week, he hit a bit of a bump in the road. As the Colts lost for just the second time all year, their superstar running back was pedestrian, at best. Fortunately for the Colts, in the Berlin game against the Atlanta Falcons, it didn’t take Taylor long to get back into form. And it immediately led to some history for the veteran RB.
What Did Jonathan Taylor Do?
On their second drive of the evening, Taylor continued doing what he does best. With the ball at the 1-yard line, he quickly ran it up the middle for a touchdown, bringing his total to an absurd 13 rushing touchdowns this season.
However, as Wish News’ Angela Moryan confirmed on X, the score was doubly historic for the two-time Pro Bowler. “Jonathan Taylor ties Edgerrin James’ franchise record for most #Colts rushing TDs with his 64th.”
A second-round pick for Indianapolis, Taylor was a force to be reckoned with almost immediately. After an excellent rookie season, he truly came into his own in his second season, when he led the league in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns.
However, injuries limited him over the next two years, despite his production remaining elite. In 2024, he got back to peak form. Playing in 14 games, Taylor added 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
In 2025, he has taken it to another level altogether. Through nine weeks, he’s suited up in every game and ranked second on PFSN’s RB Impact, with totals of 895 rushing yards and 218 receiving yards.
However, it’s his ability to get into the end zone, where he has 12 rushing touchdowns, as well as two through the air, that has separated him from the pack by a wide margin.
Taylor is on pace to break his personal single-season records of 18 rushing touchdowns and 20 total touchdowns, both of which are also the Colts’ franchise records. And, the game against the Colts allowed him to take another step closer to those records.
A back-and-forth game saw the Falcons hold a lead for the majority of the second half. However, midway through the final quarter, Taylor finally broke free. Going on an 83-yard run while breaking multiple tackles down the left sideline, he recorded another touchdown.
That gave him sole possession of the record with 65 TDs, and also gave Indianapolis a 22-17 lead. For the night, he had 210 rushing yards on 26 carries, along with 42 receiving yards on three catches.
As Underdog confirmed, it was his sixth career game with 200+ scrimmage yards, tied for the most in Colts franchise history with Edgerrin James.
