Pat McAfee makes stance clear on Jim Irsay’s ruthless comments about Jonathan Taylor
The Jonathan Taylor situation has escalated quickly.
Recent episodes involving Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard have made it more than clear that if you're a running back in the modern NFL, your contract situation is unlikely to improve until 2030, no matter how unfair the situation is from a personal point of view.
The market doesn't have feelings, and fighting against it is pointless. But Taylor's situation is unique because his franchise's owner, Jim Irsay, decided to take the fight to Twitter. The Indianapolis Colts owner suggested that some agents were acting in bad faith following which Malki Kawa, Taylor's agent, responded on Twitter.
"Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player," he said.
NFL Running Back situation- We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category wants another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate. Some Agents are selling ‘bad faith’..
Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player twitter.com/jimirsay/statu…
After a meeting between the player and owner on Saturday, a trade request came out, with the running back's unhappiness becoming clear. Irsay has said Taylor isn't going to be traded, but taking the situation to Twitter was not the best move according to many people.
One of the analysts who disagree with the owner's stance is his former player Pat McAfee.
“I don't love it that Jim is saying this, I also don't love the tweet that Jim put out, but I understand why Jim is doing it from his perspective."
Jonathan Taylor's trade request: will he play for the Colts in 2023?
When the tempers calm down, Taylor will likely be on the field for the 2023 season. But whatever his performance is, a contract extension likely won't arrive.
Indianapolis doesn't really want to trade the player, because it knows he's its offensive base for 2023. The team has a rookie coach in Shane Steichen, and a rookie quarterback in Anthony Richardson. Having a quality player who provides security with the ball is excellent, and that's what Taylor provides.