Jonathan Taylor raising money for charity in Madison, his second home: ‘It’s only right that I give back'

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - For the last three years, we’ve seen Jonathan Taylor run through Big Ten defenses on his way to becoming one of the most accomplished running backs in NCAA history. Now as JT gets ready for his first NFL season, he’s accomplishing even more off the field.

For the Wisconsin running back that's done it all on the field, a virtual off season has taught Taylor how to improve his game off of the field.

“This amount and chunk of time has really allowed me to grow to know ‘hey these are the best ways you learn, you know through studying,” Jonathan Taylor tells NBC15 News in an exclusive interview.

Now the two-time Doak Walk Award winner is attacking society's biggest needs: by helping to raise $10,000 for Wisconsin United Way's COVID-19 urgent needs funds while also starting a scholarship for black student-athletes in his hometown of Salem, New Jersey.

“If you stay in school, and you work hard, day in and day out, in your sport, if you don’t make that one percent, you still worked your tail off and you should still be rewarded,” Taylor tells NBC15.

While Taylor is set to begin one dream by playing in the NFL, he has already achieved another.

“It’s always been a dream and a goal of mine to give back so, coming from a small town, Salem, New Jersey, having the support of everyone in that town, it’s only right,” says JT. “It’s only right that I give back. And then now, coming to the University of Wisconsin for three years, having this place grow on me so much. It’s another place that I call home, it’s considered a second home of mine, so it’s another place I want to give back to.”

Taylor continued: "But I can't wait until we're able to push through this pandemic that we're going through, and then we're able to give back a ton."

The next step for JT will be to take his play-making abilities from Camp Randall stadium to Lucas Oil Stadium as a rookie for the Indianapolis Colts.

He tells NBC15 News he will report to camp later this week as he wants to play, and he’s confident that the NFL will put forth a plan that will keep the players safe and reduce the risk of COVID-19 while they train and prepare for the upcoming season.

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