Colts' Jonathan Taylor out vs. Steelers with Thumb Injury; 3rd-Straight Missed Game | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Daniel Johnston
Published Mar 23, 2026
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed running back Jonathan Taylor will miss Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 2021 All-Pro was forced to miss the last two weeks because of a thumb injury that required surgery. Before that, offseason ankle surgery had kept him out for Indy's first four games.
Rapoport reported on Dec. 3 the surgically repaired UCL in Taylor's thumb could require three to five weeks to heal, so him being ruled out for Saturday isn't a complete shock or a cause for concern just yet.
Rapoport's story included details on the severity of the injury, which reinforced how a quick recovery was out of the question.
"The ligament tore off the base of the thumb and flipped on top of the tendon, sources say," he reported. "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."
The timing of the injury couldn't have been more frustrating for Taylor and the Colts.
He had put together his best performance of the season in a 27-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12, running for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
The team, meanwhile, is in the thick of the playoff race and currently sits seventh in the AFC at 7-6.
The Colts outlasted the Tennessee Titans 31-28 in overtime in the first game after Taylor's thumb injury, but they mustered just 55 rushing yards as a team. An inability to move the ball (46 total rushing yards) was more troublesome against the Cincinnati Bengals as they lost 34-14.
The Steelers haven't been an elite rush defense, allowing 4.2 yards per carry and 117.9, but it could once again be tough sledding for Indianapolis without Taylor.
