If you asked a random football fan in America what they think of when they think of the Wisconsin Badgers. The top two choices on Family Feud would be "offensive line" and "running backs." Why? Because the Badgers have had Hall of Famers run through at both of those positions, and the best Wisconsin teams ran the football down a defense's throat. While things have been downbad lately, the NFL Badgers continue to get paid.
In both of those categories, but the latest is Former Badger Jonathan Taylor with a huge NFL payday. He got a whopping two-year, $44 million extension with a crazy $39 million in guarantees. That's insane money and a reminder of how Wisconsin is RBU. He joins a long line of running backs with NFL paydays. This is only GREAT news for Luke Fickell.
Another big running back deal: three-time Pro-Bowl RB Jonathan Taylor and the Colts reached agreement today on a two-year, $44 million extension worth up to $47 million that includes $39 million guaranteed, per @rapsheet and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 6, 2026
Taylor’s agent Malki Kawa of @FirstRoundMgmt and… pic.twitter.com/8DsowuNjG0
Luke Fickell is now capitalizing on the alumni and it's already paying dividends
Related: Luke Fickell has even his biggest doubters changing their minds, and it's about time
It's no coincidence that Fickell has been bringing back alumni on a regular basis and recruiting success. The two have always gone together, and while NIL and money play a big role, if programs are offering apples-to-apples, the next question becomes, "What can Wisconsin offer me?" Well, how about a pathway to the NFL and a future payday like Jonathan Taylor? That's a pretty big example.
The more universities can plaster their famous and successful alumni on the walls of a football facility, the better recruiting goes. Add in the fact that alumni are hanging around, speaking to the team, and working out at the facility, and all the better! This is what Fickell has added to the program recently.
And you know what all these alumni are saying about the program and what they are talking about? Wisconsin is famous for running the football. Charles Perkins joined Brian Butch on his podcast and said, "One thing I love about Coach Fickell is that he did this last summer for workouts; he brought in a lot of alumni, guys who played in the NFL... a lot of guys that came in and talked to us about how to be a successful program, and what they did to make Wisconsin football successful."
What was it that Perkins said they mainly talked about: "being a nasty, tough, disciplined team," A team that "ran the football" and was mean in the trenches. That's Wisconsin football; it's how it was built, and it's how it is returning.
So Jonathan Taylor's contract is only going to push this narrative more. Not just for running backs and offensive linemen to come in and understand what Wisconsin football is about, but the rising tide will lift all the ships. The edge rushers, the cornerbacks, the defensive linemen (Perkins is one of them), will all buy into the culture and push things forward.
Every time you see a Badger get paid in the NFL, it's fuel for the Fickell recruiting and culture fire that he is working so hard to build.
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