Few experts had the Indianapolis Colts potentially winning the AFC South, much less emerging as a Super Bowl contender. Yet, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor knew something before the general public.
Days before the Philadelphia Eagles crushed the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, Heavy Sports had an exclusive interview with Taylor. The Colts were just weeks into the team’s offseason, but Taylor already had his mind on Super Bowl 60.
When asked about his goals for the Colts offseason, Taylor could only mention one thing.
“A Super Bowl. … We’re going to grind and get ready to win a Super Bowl,” Taylor confidently told Heavy Sports at the time.
Fast forward to present day where the 5-1 Colts have the best record in the AFC. Indianapolis sits in first place in the AFC South.
Heading into the season, the Colts’ odds to win the Super Bowl were towards the bottom of the NFL at +10000. Indy’s odds have drastically improved as the Colts are now listed at +1700 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, per FanDuel.
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor Is Leading the NFL in Rushing Yards
All Taylor is doing is leading the NFL in rushing, posting 603 yards and seven touchdowns heading into Week 7. Taylor has also notched 20 catches for 147 receiving yards and one TD through the air.
A lot has changed since Taylor’s confident message during Super Bowl week. For starters, the Colts abruptly benched former top-five pick Anthony Richardson in favor of Daniel Jones. Just as the Colts needed a spark, Jones was looking for a landing spot after flaming out with the New York Giants.
Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. on Jonathan Taylor: ‘I Don’t Think Any of Us Really Know What He’s Capable of’
The one thing that is not a surprise is Taylor fueling the Colts’ success as one of the best running backs in the NFL. Colts playmaker Michael Pittman Jr. believes the running back’s best days are still ahead.
“I don’t think any of us really know what he’s capable of,” Pittman told ESPN’s Stephen Holder during an October 17, feature interview. “But I think he’s going to show us this year.”
The Colts Have Transformed Into a Super Bowl Contender
The Colts’ glow-up may be on full display as the leaves start to change around the country, but it was the offseason preparation Taylor spoke about in February that has transformed Indy into a contender. Amid the Colts’ recent surge, Taylor once again pointed to the offseason as a big reason for the team’s success.
“You’d like to think every time you come into this building – each and every single year – you were able to elevate your level of play via your work in the offseason,’’ Taylor noted on October 16, per Fox 59 Indianapolis. “And then continue that with training camp, putting it to actual use and application of real football rather than just cones and things like that in the offseason. But that’s what you want to do.
“And then when you get here, you want to be able to find a way to get better each and every single week throughout the season. It’s not just an offseason thing. You have to find a way in order to elevate that level of play and sustain it as well. That’s something that the greats have done.’’
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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