Indianapolis, IN

Colts’ Jonathan Taylor: MVP? He’s running in that direction

Published

6 months ago

October 27, 2025

Colts’ Jonathan Taylor: MVP? He’s running in that direction

INDIANAPOLIS — The chants began early, gradually intensified and crescendoed with a balance-defying 80-yard tiptoe down the left sideline.

MVP, MVP, MVP.

Shane Steichen heard it.

“I did,’’ he said.

MVP, MVP, MVP.

And?

“Validated,’’ he said.

Steichen’s smile reflected his appreciation — and awe — with the latest MVP-type game in what’s building toward a possible MVP season.

Michael Pittman Jr. heard the chorus and might have been leading the chants after Steichen pulled Taylor and several other starters in the fourth quarter of the Indianapolis Colts’ 38-14 dismantling of the Tennessee Titans Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was much easier than it looked. Sort of like Taylor’s spectacularly efficient abuse of the Titans: 153 yards and touchdown runs of 18 and 80 yards on just 12 carries, 21 yards and one TD on two receptions.

MVP, MVP, MVP.

“He’s got a real shot,’’ Pittman said. “I know the MVP is a quarterback thing, but he’s going to give it his best shot at it. He’s playing at such a level, they’re going to have to consider a non-quarterback.’’

The last non-quarterback to be named MVP? That would be running back Adrian Peterson.

In 2012.

“Right now,’’ said Pittman, who actually was taken ahead of Taylor in the 2020 draft, “there’s nothing that I don’t think he can’t do.’’

Taylor’s feature play from Sunday was Pittman’s latest evidence. The 80-yard TD was the second-longest run of Taylor’s career — he had an 83-yarder against Houston in 2021 — and matched the franchise record for the longest TD run first set by Tom Matte in 1964 and matched by Donald Brown in 2011.

Taylor took Daniel Jones’ handoff and headed left. He ran between the blocks of tight end Mo Alie-Cox and right guard Matt Goncalves, then followed center Tanor Bortolini and left guard Quenton Nelson through the left edge.

When he hit the sideline in front of the Colts’ bench, Taylor first ran away from safety Xavier Woods, then left safety Amani Hooker flailing in his wake.

“When he was running down that sideline, I was thinking, ‘Oh, that’ll be a good 15-yard run,’’’ Pittman said. “And then he breaks a tackle and, ‘Oh, it’s going to be a good 30-yard run.’

“He breaks another tackle, takes it 80, and I’m like, ‘How?’ The things he does, it’s crazy. I don’t want to be early, but you can put me on-record. He’s starting to look like a Hall of Fame trajectory.’’

That’s a debate for when Taylor has strung together several more prolific seasons. Leading the NFL in 2021 with a franchise-record 1,811 yards was a good start. He’s again leading the league — 850 yards, ahead of Buffalo’s James Cook’s 753 — and on pace for 1,806.

The MVP discussion after eight games, though, is as real as it gets.

The Colts pushed their record to an NFL-best 7-1 and hold a 2½-game lead over Jacksonville in the AFC South because of an offense that’s operating at a historic level.

They entered the day averaging a league-best 33.1 points per game, and improved it. Their 270 points in the first eight games are the most in the Indy era, and third-most in franchise history. The Baltimore Colts scored 274 in 1964 and 272 in ’58.

Daniel Jones is in the midst of a career revival. He passed for 272 yards, three TDs and a season-best 136.0 rating against the Titans, and is the first quarterback in club history with a rating of at least 100 in seven of the first eight games of a season.

The supporting case is diverse and potent. Pittman finished with 95 yards and a contested, one-handed 21-yard TD on eight catches. Tight end Tyler Warren extended his strong rookie season (four catches, 53 yards), Alec Pierce’s 69-yard day featured a contested 50-yard grab and Josh Downs had 39 yards and one TD on three catches.

But Taylor is the super-charged catalyst.

In the bottom-line NFL, Taylor’s bottom line is off the charts.

He leads the league in rushing TDs (12) and total TDs (14). If you need perspective, consider the Titans returned to Nashville with 9 TDs on the season.

Taylor’s 63 career rushing TDs tied Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for second-most in club history. Edgerrin James generated 64 in his Hall of Fame career.

MVP, MVP, MVP.

“It meant a lot that the fans of Indianapolis are behind me like that, and that’s what continues to fuel not only myself, but the rest of the team,’’ Taylor said. “For us to come out, firing on all cylinders, it’s really a testament to the work we put in and we’re just glad that the fans are here for it to engage.

“That’s what they want to see. They want to see great product from the field and us ultimately win games.’’

Steichen has witnessed Taylor’s individual brilliance since 2023.

“It’s hard to put into words, to be honest,’’ he said. “When you see the way he’s running, the way guys are blocking for him, it’s special. It really is.

“I’ve seen it since I’ve been here, but it’s on another level this year for sure. Just the way he’s rollin’.’’

But again, MVP?

“My opinion doesn’t matter, but for sure,’’ Nelson said. “He holds himself to a very high standard, and he works his tail off.

“I expect him to go off every game.’’

Alie-Cox has grown accustomed to Taylor’s game-breaking skills.

“I was just telling one of the new guys, ‘This just looks like 2021 JT,’’’ he said. “I’m used to it. He did the same thing that year. He’s just been banged up the last couple of years.

“I told the guys, ‘With JT healthy, this is what we get every week.’’’

More about JT

Taylor averaged a career-best 12.8 yards per attempt. His previous best: 10.4 yards per attempt against Houston in 2021 (145 yards on 14).

He also:

*Became the first player in NFL history to score three total TDs against the same opponent in three straight games (Sunday, week 3 of this season, week 16 of 2024).

*Became the sixth player in league history with at least 70 scrimmage TDs in his first 75 games. He joined Jim Brown, LaDainian Tomlinson, Emmitt Smith, Chuck Foreman and Todd Gurley.

You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.

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Indianapolis, IN

Larry D. Hunter, age 80 of Indianapolis – WRBI Radio

Published

5 hours ago

April 28, 2026

Press Room

Larry D. Hunter, age 80 of Indianapolis – WRBI Radio

Larry D. Hunter, 80, of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully at his home on April 16, 2026. He was born in Metamora, Indiana, on April 19, 1945, the ninth of 11 children of Conley and Oma Hunter (née Mobley). He was a graduate of Brookville High School, where he played basketball and also served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, B. High Spirit. While in high school, he also played baseball in the Babe Ruth League in Brookville.

After graduating in 1963, Larry joined the U.S. Army, serving from 1964 until 1967. During this time, while stationed in Germany, he met his first wife, Gabriele (née Vetter). They returned to the States, married in 1968 and remained together until 1988. They had two children, Rusty and Nikki. In 1997, he married Connie (née Sparks) and they remained together until 2022. Larry was a member of Five Points Baptist Church in Mooresville and the Carpenters Union Local 301. He was employed with Paul Fox Construction for several years before working at F.A. Wilhelm Construction, where he stayed for over 40 years as a layout engineer and then superintendent before officially retiring in 2025 at the age of 80.

Larry had many interests including spending time with family; watching Indianapolis Colts games, comedy movies and game shows; playing board games; working his booth at the flea market, and playing ping pong, mini golf and bowling, for which he participated in a league for a few years. He also loved his many dogs – Chief, Champ, Prince, Max and Molly – and cats Cuddles, Sophie, Misty and Meanbutt.

Survivors include his two children, Rusty Hunter of New Palestine and Nikki Hunter of Indianapolis; one brother James A. (Karen) Hunter of Shelbyville; step-daughter Amie Jo Sparks (Christopher) Ross; five step-grandchildren Jordan (Paige) Cowan, Mason (Alexis) Cowan, Erica Cowan, Jessica Furkin, and Daila Hargitt; eight step-great-grandchildren, Callie, Aiden, Rylie, Princeton, Sensei, Charlotte, Luka, and Amelia. In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by nine siblings: William, Ray, Roy, Herbert, Eva, Elsie, Ruth, Paul (“Bud”), and Garry; and one stepson, Brian Sparks.

Visitation will be held on Monday, May 4 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Cook Rosenberger Funeral Home, 929 Main Street, Brookville, Indiana 47012. Pastor Rob Edwards will officiate the funeral service beginning at 1 p.m. and burial will follow immediately after in Metamora Cemetery – Mobley Addition.

Memorial contributions in honor of Larry may be directed to the American Legion Bernard Hurst Post #77. Donations will be accepted in person at the visitation, or they can be mailed to 1290 Fairfield Avenue, Brookville, IN 47012.

To share fond memories, offer personal condolences, or to sign the online guestbook, please visit www.cookrosenberger.com. The staff of Cook Rosenberger Funeral Home are honored to care for Larry and his family during this time.

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Indianapolis, IN

East Indy data center faces resident backlash as plan is delayed

Published

17 hours ago

April 28, 2026

Press Room

East Indy data center faces resident backlash as plan is delayed

If there’s one topic that can compel multiple people to shout an expletive into a microphone in a church sanctuary, it’s data centers.

Company executives from Atlanta-based DC BLOX, the latest developer looking to build a data center campus in Indianapolis, made their pitch on April 27 at Downey Avenue Christian Church in Irvington, the east-side neighborhood near which three proposed facilities would sit. The sanctuary was packed with close to 200 people, including residents who came to speak vehemently against the idea, union laborers who showed up to support it and many more who came to listen.

“It’s not popular to be in the data center business right now. It’s really popular to go online, on social media especially, and hate on data centers,” DC BLOX Senior Vice President of Sales David Armistead said to the room before public comment. “But what I will tell you is not all data centers are the same, and not all data center companies are the same. And if there’s a data center that was irresponsible and they’re getting a lot of hate, then that’s well-deserved.”

Armistead’s remarks did little to comfort residents who criticized the plan for several reasons, among them: the company’s intention to seek tax breaks; the air and noise pollution more than three dozen backup diesel generators could cause; and the data centers’ proposed location just south of Irvington Community Elementary School.

“I think you should pay your fair share of taxes, just like every small business in the community pays taxes from the day they open their door,” William Moser, an east-side resident, told the company leaders.

While most kept their comments civil, one woman told the DC BLOX representatives that “every single one of you are disgusting.”

Before the meeting, the company decided to postpone its May hearing before the Metropolitan Development Commission hearing examiner to take more time to gather feedback. The use variance request required for the data center — which needs final approval by the full MDC but not the Indianapolis City-County Council — is now set for an initial hearing June 11.

What to know about DC BLOX data center

DC BLOX wants to build a data center campus with three buildings encompassing more than 400,000 square feet in an industrial park just east of Irvington, at 305 Fintail Drive. The company aims to complete the initial facility, the smallest at 80,000 square feet, within two years of city approval and the two larger buildings by 2030.

All told, Armistead said, the three facilities would cost upward of $2 billion to build and use close to 80 megawatts of energy — enough to power tens of thousands of homes. DC BLOX says the data center will employ 35 “high-wage” permanent staffers and up to 600 construction workers during the buildout.

The buildings would sit on part of a 150-acre site where a longstanding Ford automotive parts factory operated until 2007. After the plant was demolished, the site rebranded as the Thunderbird Commerce Center in 2021 to attract logistics and manufacturing firms.

The site’s anchor business is beverage retailer and distributor Monarch Distributing, which moved into a roughly 500,000-square-foot facility in 2024. The data center buildings would be just north of where Monarch sits, closer to the Pennsy Trail.

How DC BLOX deals with energy, pollution concerns

The company’s proposal aims to mitigate some of the common fears about data centers, particularly related to energy use.

For one, the facilities won’t initially be used to power artificial intelligence, the force driving much of the data center boom. DC BLOX says it will house data for regional network communications and local clients like banks, hospitals, universities and governments.

What’s more, the first building will cool computer equipment with a waterless system similar to those big-box stores use. The next two facilities would use a closed-loop system, a less water-intensive method that will pull water only from municipal provider Citizens Energy Group — not from natural aquifers.

In case of rare emergencies or mechanical issues, the company says it will dispose of leaking water in line with state regulations and not flush it into the city’s wastewater system.

DC BLOX also says it will pay for all costs associated with a new electricity substation that could be needed to power the three facilities. The company cites an AES Indiana statement that promises new data centers will cause “no negative impact to existing customer rates” because AES will be able to spread out new infrastructure costs over a larger amount of electricity sold.

Armistead said Monday night that although DC BLOX would not be legally bound by proposed city regulations on data centers that could take effect this summer, the company plans to adhere to most of them anyways. DC BLOX also won’t sign non-disclosure agreements as part of its negotiations, representatives said.

“I see this as a way to extend technology into an area where it hasn’t existed before,” Armistead said, “to allow the community to participate in this high, high- growth sector of our U.S. economy.”

The company says it aims to host another community forum in City-County Council District 20, where the data center is technically located, in the coming weeks. Irvington sits just to the west in District 14.

District 20 Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, whose opposition helped to kill a Google data center in his district last fall, told IndyStar in an April 22 phone interview he remains “neutral” on the DC BLOX proposal.

He said residents should “take the time to show up and make sure that they’re getting all questions asked and answered.”

“Anything we want in a commitment is still completely plausible, because it still takes a vote, and that’s from the MDC,” Hart said. “So if there are valid points that need to be made, there are still members of that body who are going to listen and can approve these things. And that’s where the convincing has to happen.”

Email Indianapolis City Hall Reporter Jordan Smith at JTSmith@indystar.com. Follow him on X @jordantsmith09 and Bluesky @jordanaccidentally.bsky.social.

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