When Khalil Herbert sat down in front of a microphone for the first time as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, the running back was all smiles.

He was dressed simply, wearing – alongside his grin – a thick gold chain around his neck with the letters "KH"and a white T-shirt with a roller coaster on it. The words on the tee?

"Don't forget to enjoy the journey."

Indianapolis will be the third city the 26-year-old Florida native will call home since beginning his NFL career in 2021, when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Herbert remained in Chicago until November of 2024, when he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Colts then signed Herbert on March 14 as a free agent.

In his four-year NFL career, Herbert has played against the Colts once – when the Bears lost, 21-16, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Sept. 2024. He'd also been with the Bears when they participated in joint practices and a preseason game in Indianapolis in 2023, and believed that, thanks to those experiences, he had a good grasp on what the Colts organization was all about.

"They really didn't have to sell me on much," Herbert said. "I like what they're doing here, I like the opportunity that's here. A great group of guys, a great offense, a great defense.

You could just feel the energy here, and I was just excited to be a part of that and feel like I could come in and help out."

That is, really, one of Herbert's main goals with the Colts: help. Help himself continue to grow his own game, and help the Colts. Herbert said the opportunity to play alongside, and learn from, someone like Jonathan Taylor – who finished the 2024 season with the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL – was something of a selling point, as well.

"It'll be great," Herbert said. "I've watched him from afar the last couple of years, he's been doing his thing, balling out. So just being able to see it firsthand, get some tips or tricks or whatever it is, be able to add stuff to my game as well and help everybody out on the team, I feel like will help us a lot."

At the NFL Combine in February, Colts manager Chris Ballard said the running back position was "definitely a position that we need to make sure we have enough." Ballard referenced former Colts running back Zack Moss, who was an "excellent" source of a production behind Taylor in 2022-23.

In 2024, the Colts didn't have that same kind of backup for their bell cow, as running backs Tyler Goodson and Trey Sermon combined for just 34.6 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Goodson, who accounted for 12.1 percent of those snaps, is under contract in 2025. Sermon is an unrestricted free agent. Herbert sees an opportunity.

"Just come in here trying to learn, trying to help – being available, being the guy that can help carry the load if something were to happen," Herbert said when asked about what his role might be. "Just trying to come in and bring what I can bring to the team, the field, whatever needed. So that's kind of how I look at it – just being able to help in any way I can."

In 56 career games (13 starts) Herbert has amassed a total of 400 rushing attempts for 1,905 yards and nine touchdowns, as well as 53 receptions for 312 yards and two receiving touchdowns. In his best season – 2022 – he rushed for a career-high 731 yards at an average of 5.7 yards/carry. Herbert's career average of 4.8 yards per carry is sixth-highest among running backs with at least 400 carries; Taylor is fifth at 4.9 yards per carry.

"I just came here ready to play, ready to help," Herbert said. "I feel like I can do everything. Short yardage, outside, inside zone. I feel like I've been a part of offenses that have done it all. Catching the ball out the backfield, pass pro. I've been asked to do it all, and I feel like I can do it well."