Jonathan Taylor didn’t need reminders of who he was. But on Sunday in Berlin, the rest of the league got one, following his masterful performance in the Indianapolis Colts backfield.
The Colts’ star running back had one of the best games of his career, rushing for 244 yards and three touchdowns in Indianapolis’ 31–25 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons.
It was the kind of vintage performance that felt both inevitable and surreal. Inevitable because we’ve seen this movie before — Taylor’s blend of power and speed can take over a game when he’s healthy. Surreal because, well, it happened halfway across the world, in the first-ever regular-season game in Berlin, on a day when the Colts offense desperately needed him to be otherworldly.
Taylor answered. And at his current pace, he’s staring down 28 touchdowns — a milestone topped only once this century when LaDainian Tomlinson turned scoring into an art form in his 2006 campaign with 31 total TDs.
Berlin Belonged To Taylor In Memorable Colts Performance
Everything about Sunday’s win carried weight.
Berlin’s Olympiastadion is one of sports’ most symbolic stages. From Jesse Owens’ triumphs in 1936 to the fall of the Berlin Wall decades later, it’s a site synonymous with defiance and excellence. Taylor understood that.
“This is a historic place,” Taylor said postgame, via ESPN. “You look back at the history, the guys who have achieved amazing feats here. It makes me feel like I’m a part of that lineage.”
He certainly earned that feeling. His 83-yard touchdown carry — the longest of his NFL career — showcased everything that makes him special. Vision. Patience. Burst. The ability to bounce from traffic to daylight and erase pursuit angles in seconds.
That run wasn’t just a fun highlight to marvel at on Sunday morning; it was a statement. It moved him past Hall of Famer Edgerrin James for most rushing touchdowns in Colts history (65) and gave Indianapolis its biggest jolt of life in a tricky overseas spot.
Even after a day like that, Taylor stayed team-first. He credited the edge blockers for sealing the lane and his teammates for “embracing” him after the walk-off overtime score — a quintessential Taylor comment that reminds you how quietly confident he is in greatness.
On Pace With Legends
Let’s put this pace in perspective. Taylor’s current trajectory — 28 total touchdowns — would place him second all-time in a single season, behind only Tomlinson’s legendary 2006 campaign (31). The only other players to sniff that territory? Shaun Alexander (28, 2005) and Priest Holmes (27, 2003).
That’s the kind of company Taylor’s keeping right now.
He’s doing it efficiently, too: 7.8 yards per carry, and six total touchdowns in his last three games, and a usage pattern that’s finally stabilizing as we inch closer to playoff time.
It’s what happens when Taylor gets 20+ touches, the offensive line finds rhythm, and the Colts stop overthinking what their identity should be. They’re a run-first, rhythm-driven team built around a back who can change the temperature of a game on a single snap.
And for all the stat-chasing, Taylor’s focus has never been on numbers. The tone he set after Berlin was telling: talk about teammates, protection, energy — not touchdowns or history. That mindset might be what’s propelling him right back into the league’s MVP conversation.
With the Colts now 8–2 and firmly in the AFC playoff picture, Taylor’s resurgence is a foundation for how far this team can go.
If he keeps this up, Berlin might not be remembered as the peak of his 2025 season. It might be where the race for history truly began.
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