Colts announcing Daniel Jones as Week 1 starter has Indy fans bursting in flames

The Indianapolis Colts recently announced that former Duke Blue Devil Daniel Jones will be the franchise's Week 1 starter for the 2025 season, much to the shock of many fans and analysts around the NFL. Indy drafted Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but it looks like the front office has already given up on the project pick after just two seasons.

Jones has now resurrected his career as an NFL starter after being released by the New York Giants, the team that drafted him sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, midway through the 2024 campaign. After a very shaky six-year tenure in New York, the former Blue Devil will now look for a major bounce-back season with the Colts.

However, it doesn't look like Colts fans around the USA are very happy about the front office's decision to start the veteran over the franchise's former top-four draft choice.

In Richardson's defense, he was all class when speaking to the media following head coach Shane Steichen's announcement that Jones would be the starter. For a young player whose franchise basically told him they've given up, his response will certainly have fans feeling for the former Florida Gator.

“No hard feelings, it’s never personal," Richardson said. "I can’t let me not being the starter stop me from growing to be the person and player that I’m supposed to be. I just gotta stay focused and keep grinding.”

Richardson came into the league as a "boom or bust" type of pick, but many think the Colts gave up way too quickly on the 23-year-old. Injuries have cast a major dark cloud on Richardson's progress, as he missed the final 13 games of his rookie year and another six games last season.

Stephen A. Smith even chimed in on the situation this morning on ESPN's First Take, bashing Indianapolis for sending Richardson to the bench.

"There's nobody out here that believes that Daniel Jones is a worthy starter for your franchise," Smith said on the show. "We know he's got skills, we know he can make some plays, we know he can do some things. But his career with the New York Giants, his 24-44-1 record as a starter over the course of his career, speaks for itself. We've seen more blooper reels from Daniel Jones than highlights, and he's your starter."

Jones is now in a position to become a respected NFL starting quarterback once again, and on a one-year, $14 million deal with Indy, it's do or die for the former Blue Devil.