Jonathan Taylor Requests Trade, Owner Jim Irsay Fires Back: Report

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Indianapolis Colts v Buffalo Bills
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 21: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts runs the ball in the game against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at Highmark Stadium on November 21, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images)
Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade from the Colts.

Jonathan Taylor has reportedly requested a trade from the Indianapolis Colts. The star running back is entering the final year of his rookie contract; however, the team has no plans to extend him with a new deal. Owner Jim Irsay addressed the request to ESPN in a text message, revealing that the team will not trade him.

"We're not trading Jonathan … end of discussion," Irsay texted a reporter for the outlet. "Not now and not in October!" News of the trade request was first reported by NFL Network. Irsay attended the team's practice on Saturday night and invited Taylor to a meeting in his luxury bus.

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Jonathan Taylor At Colts' OTA

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JUNE 07: Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs through a drill during the Indianapolis Colts OTA on June 7, 2023 at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"We're looking forward to a great season and hoping Jonathan is a big part of that," Irsay told reporters after the meeting. "We're looking forward to hopefully having Jonathan there." Despite saying the two had a "good conversation," Irsay admitted the Colts still have no plans to extend his contract. "At this point, that's not something that we're discussing right now," Irsay said. "This isn't a comment that has to do with Jonathan Taylor's situation. It's what my responsibilities are. I'm responsible for everyone on the team and to look at the cap money that you have and to look at contracts as you go forward."

Taylor will earn $4.304 million this season, ranking 18th among running back salaries in 2023. He's been the team's best playmaker since being drafted in 2020. He led the NFL with 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021.

Jim Irsay Says Colts Aren't Extending Jonathan Taylor

"If I die tonight and Jonathan Taylor is out of the league, no one's gonna miss us," Irsay also said on Saturday. "The league goes on. We know that. The National Football League rolls on. It doesn't matter who comes and who goes, and it's a privilege to be a part of it."

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About The Author
Cole Blake
Cole Blake is currently an Editor at HotNewHipHop based out of Brooklyn, New York. He began working at the site as an intern back in 2018 while studying journalism at St. John’s University. In the time since, he’s graduated with a bachelor's degree and written extensively about a wide range of topics including pop culture, film & television, politics, video games, sports, and much more. He’s also covered music festivals such as Gov. Ball and Rolling Loud. You can find him publishing work for HNHH from Monday to Wednesday or on weekends. On the sports front, Cole’s a passionate NBA and NFL fan with his favorite teams being the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Lakers. He also roots for the Yankees whenever he finds himself at Yankee Stadium or the Red Storm when in the company of other SJU alumni. His favorite hip-hop artists are billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Cam’ron, MIKE, and Mach-Hommy.
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