Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has had a tumultuous season when it comes to injuries. He began the 2023 campaign on the physically unable to perform list because of an ankle injury that he had a procedure on during the offseason.
After sitting out the first four weeks of the season, he returned in Week 5 and began his ramp-up process. Just as he was beginning to show signs of his pre-injury self, Taylor suffered another setback.
This time, it was an injury to his thumb suffered in Week 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Taylor was able to finish that game out and had arguably his best performance of the season, rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
The announcement of Taylor’s injury took many people by surprise because he was able to finish out the game against the Buccaneers. There were no signs of needing to miss time, let alone go under the knife again.
Taylor played the entire second half of the game despite the injury. But, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network detailed, the star running back didn’t have a choice; undergoing surgery was the only option. That is because the injury was more severe than anyone originally knew.
“The ligament tore off the base of the thumb and flipped on top of the tendon, sources say. Once that happens, the only way to avoid a loose tendon in the future is to have surgery to tuck the ligament back under the tendon so it can function. Immediate surgery was a necessity,” Rapoport wrote.
By not placing him on injured reserve, the Colts left open the possibility of Talyor returning to the field in less than four weeks. The estimated timetable for an injury of this nature is normally 3-to-5 weeks, but owner Jim Irsay expressed confidence he would be back before then.
The first game for the Colts without Taylor was a success, as they defeated the Tennessee Titans in Week 13, giving them their first home loss of the season. Indianapolis can also rest easy knowing they have a capable replacement in Zack Moss, who was one of the best running backs in the league to start the season when Taylor was sidelined.
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