Are Colts' Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor a top QB-RB duo?

A duo taking shape

Taylor and Jones are looking more and more like an unstoppable duo. Credit head coach Shane Steichen, who has not only elevated Jones’ confidence but also tailored the offense to maximize Taylor’s explosiveness — both as a runner and a receiver.

This pairing may remind fans of Daniel Jones’ time with Saquon Barkley in New York, where flashes of potential were visible. But the 2025 Colts have something those Giants teams lacked: depth, discipline and a fully loaded supporting cast.

Where do Taylor and Jones rank historically?

When you talk great quarterback–running back duos, names like Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James or Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry come to mind. But the most intriguing comparison might be the 2014 Seahawks combo of Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch.

Now, it’s not a perfect match. Taylor offers more versatility in the passing game than Lynch did, and Steichen's Colts run far more play-action concepts than Seattle’s power-run scheme. Still, the comparison works in one important way: winning football. Wilson and Lynch weren’t just productive — they were champions.

That’s the standard now.

What comes next?

The Colts aren’t there quite yet. There are even several other current QB-RB duos that could make a claim as the best in today's NFL: Jalen Hurts-Barkley, Matthew Stafford-Kyren Williams, Jordan Love-Josh Jacobs and the aforementioned Jackson and Henry, to name a few.

Jones isn’t Tom Brady — and likely never will be — but he’s doing what great quarterbacks do: managing the game, avoiding mistakes and making plays when it counts.

As for Taylor? If he keeps this up, he could force a serious conversation about being the greatest running back in Colts history — yes, even ahead of Edgerrin James.

The pair has combined to make the Colts arguably the most surprising story of the 2025 season and established them as legitimate contenders in the AFC.

The potential is clear. Now comes the hard part: sustaining it.