If Jonathan Taylor rushes for 1,629 yards this season, he’ll cement his place among the greatest Colts running backs of all time by becoming the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. It would be an especially impressive feat considering Taylor has played only six NFL seasons and would surpass a leaderboard that includes four Pro Football Hall of Famers — Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson, and Lenny Moore.
The Colts’ all-time rushing crown is held by James with 9,226 yards. It would take a huge season from Taylor to top it this year, but he clearly has the ability — Taylor came just 44 yards shy of 1,629 last season. And in 2021, he put up a whopping 1,811. If things break right, there’s no reason to believe James’ record couldn’t fall very soon.
Of course, a big reason the Colts’ all-time rushing record is already within Taylor’s reach is that James, Faulk, and Dickerson — all of whom rank among the top 14 career rushing leaders in NFL history — spent a sizable chunk of their careers with other teams.
That raises an interesting question: If you count only time spent in a Colts uniform, who is the greatest Colts running back of all time? And where does Taylor fit in? Let’s size up the top 10.
Ranking the Greatest Colts Running Backs
10. Dominic Rhodes
Colts seasons: 2001-2006, 2008
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 2,984 (3,286)
An undrafted success story, Rhodes started in Super Bowl XLI, rushing for 113 yards and a touchdown to help the Colts win their first Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Rhodes played seven of his eight NFL seasons with the Colts, spending one year with the Raiders. He appeared in 12 playoff games for Indianapolis, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
9. Tom Matte
Colts seasons: 1961-1972
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 4,646 (same)
Matte spent 12 seasons with Baltimore, cementing his place as a Colts legend. He was both a versatile running back and a fill-in quarterback — famously playing three games at quarterback in 1965 because of injuries and becoming a pioneer by wearing a wristband with the team’s plays on it. Matte earned two Pro Bowl selections and a championship ring.
8. Joseph Addai
Colts seasons: 2006-2011
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 4,453 (same)
Like Ameche, Addai played only six NFL seasons, all with the Colts. His first two were by far his best, as he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each season and helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI. But Addai’s body began to break down, and after various injuries — most notably shoulder and hamstring issues — he retired after six seasons. Addai finished with 4,453 rushing yards and another 1,448 receiving yards.
7. Alan Ameche
Colts seasons: 1955-1960
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 4,045 (same)
Ameche, the 1954 Heisman Trophy winner, played only six NFL seasons, all with the Baltimore Colts. His career was cut short by a severe Achilles injury he suffered in 1960, but Ameche made the most of those six years. The fullback was named Rookie of the Year and later scored the iconic game-winning touchdown in the 1958 NFL Championship Game, “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” He averaged 4.2 yards per carry for his career.
6. Lydell Mitchell
Colts seasons: 1972-1977
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 5,487 (6,534)
Mitchell, who played the first six seasons of his nine-year NFL career with the Baltimore Colts, amassed the third-most rushing yards in franchise history. Mitchell made three straight Pro Bowls in the mid-1970s and was one of the best receiving backs of his era. He led the entire NFL in receptions in both 1974 and 1977.
5. Lenny Moore
Colts seasons: 1956-1967
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 5,174 (same)
Moore, a versatile running back who played all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Baltimore Colts, actually had more receiving yards (6,039) than rushing yards (5,174). The Hall of Famer was ahead of his time, averaging 4.8 yards per carry for his career while recording five 40-catch seasons. Moore was a key player on the Colts’ championship teams of the late 1950s.
4. Marshall Faulk
Colts seasons: 1994-1998
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 5,320 (12,279)
Faulk, the No. 2 pick in the 1994 draft, was an immediate star for the Colts, a fact that often gets overlooked because of his years with the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf.” He averaged more than 100 yards from scrimmage per game during his five Indianapolis seasons and played a pivotal role in leading the Colts to the 1995 AFC Championship Game.
On top of his 5,320 rushing yards, he added another 2,859 receiving yards in Indianapolis. He was traded in his prime to the Rams for second and fifth-round draft picks in 1999. The Colts used the fourth overall pick that same year on James.
3. Eric Dickerson
Colts seasons: 1987-1991
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 5,194 (13,259)
Dickerson ranks fifth in rushing yards while in a Colts uniform, but he still makes the top three here based on impact. The Colts hadn’t won more than five games in any of their first three seasons in Indianapolis when they pulled off the blockbuster three-team trade for Dickerson during the 1987 season. In just nine games for the Colts that year, Dickerson rushed for more than 1,000 yards and led them to the division crown. Dickerson followed that with the NFL rushing title in 1988.
If these rankings were based strictly on talent, he’d be No. 1. Dickerson still owns the NFL single-season rushing record (2,105), set in 1984 with the Rams. He topped 1,800 rushing yards in three of his first four NFL seasons, but never reached that mark again, including during his four-plus years in Indianapolis.
2. Jonathan Taylor
Colts seasons: 2020-Present
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 7,598 (same)
The fact that Taylor could wind up with more rushing yards than James after each played their first seven NFL seasons with the Colts is a testament to how incredible Taylor has been. Taylor led the league in rushing in 2021 and finished third last season. Of course, when it comes to career numbers, he has a long way to go to catch Dickerson (the NFL’s ninth all-time leading rusher with 13,259 yards), Faulk (13th with 12,279), or James. But in a Colts uniform, only James has been better … for now.
1. Edgerrin James
Colts seasons: 1999-2005
Rushing yards as a Colt (career): 9,226 (12,246)
Nobody has rushed for more yards or scored more rushing touchdowns (64) in a Colts uniform than James. Alongside Peyton Manning, he helped transform the franchise; Indianapolis won at least 10 games in six of James’ seven seasons there. James led the NFL in rushing in each of his first two seasons in the league. He scored between nine and 13 touchdowns in all seven years as a Colt. Only 13 players in NFL history have rushed for more yards than James, who spent the final four seasons of his career with the Cardinals and Seahawks.
Main Image: Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
