We haven’t seen a collapse like the 2025 Indianapolis Colts since the Ottoman Empire during World War I. But at least the Ottomans didn’t actually have any illusions about a triumph.
The Colts certainly did, as evidenced by their “win-now” trade for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline. That cost them two first-round picks. A hefty price, but not a worry if you’re going to be a contending team.
And at the time, they were. They were 8-2, the top seed in the AFC, and they had the best non-QB in the league in Jonathan Taylor running roughshod through the NFL. He was so good at RB that he was even getting some MVP love from the media.
He was a legitimate MVP contender—until he wasn’t. One could argue that the guy who lost the most because of Indy’s epic late-season collapse was their best player, who likely was looking at the best chance he was going to have at winning a rare MVP from the RB position.
But alas, the starting QB, Daniel Jones (who is now not even even certain to return in 2026), went down with an injury. A 65-year-old Philip Rivers and a sixth-round rookie couldn’t do anything to stem the tide as the team finished the season losing seven straight games.
Jonathan Taylor was the 3rd favorite for MVP earlier this year
During the team’s 8-2 start, Taylor had five 100-yard games and 15 rushing TDs. Over that final seven-game losing streak, he had zero 100-yard games and just three rushing TDs.
Taylor faltered so heavily along with the rest of the Colts offense over the final two months that he even lost the rushing title to James Cook. He actually ended up finishing third behind Derrick Henry as well.
It had seemed so certain to be his after he rattled off 244 yards and three TDs on 32 carries against the Atlanta Falcons in early November. That came in Indianapolis’ final win of the season, and it came in overtime too.
At that point, through 10 games, Taylor had over 1,100 yards on the ground and 15 TDs. He had over 200 more yards than the next-best guy at the time and four more TDs than the next-best. Taylor also had +550 odds to win MVP at that point, behind only Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye and very much in the mix.
It seemed a three-horse race. But unfortunately, those two QBs went on to have an epic two-horse race for the award, the winner of which remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Taylor was left by the wayside along with the rest of the Colts.
Jonathan Taylor has been excellent through six NFL seasons, but that Indianapolis horseshoe certainly hasn’t brought the soon-to-be 27-year-old much luck yet.
More Colts news
Colts' owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon gives update on Anthony Richardson's future
Colts' free agent Alec Pierce reveals what would make him return to Indy
Colts veteran defender is considering retirement for health reasons