Seven years after leaving the Duke Blue Devils for the big leagues, Daniel Jones has once again claimed his place as a starting quarterback.
On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the Indianapolis Colts and head coach Shane Steichen announced that Jones had been named as the team's starting quarterback over fellow veteran QB Anthony Richardson, who played college football for the Florida Gators.
After the announcement was made, Steichen was hit with a torrential downpour of questions, many cutting Jones down at the knees as undeserving of a starting role. The Indianapolis head coach kept his answers somewhat unsettlingly brief:
"He's the starting QB for the season," Steichen said. "I don't want to have a short leash on that..I think that he’s proven that he’s played good football in that 2022 season [playoff berth]. He had a hell of a year that year..."
Jones spent his first six seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants before the franchise that drafted him traded him to the Colts.
While in New York, he led the Giants to the aforementioned playoff berth, but beyond that, Jones' first six years in the league left fans wanting a lot more from the quarterback.
Daniel Jones career stats
- 1,437 completions (64.1 percent)
- 14,582 passing yards
- 70 passing touchdowns
- 47 interceptions
- 208 sacks
- 2,179 rushing yards
- 15 rushing touchdowns
- 15 fumbles (7 lost)
With just as many fumbles as rushing touchdowns, and not even twice as many passing touchdowns as interceptions, Jones' inconsistency played a big part in his being traded from New York, and was a large reason why people questioned the Colts making him their QB1.
However, Steichen had an explanation for Richardson riding the bench, "The big part of it is he’s been injured... When you’re not practicing and playing, it’s hard to go out there and do the things you want to do."
Jones and the Colts have one preseason game remaining, a matchup against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 23. Indianapolis kicks off its regular season with a game against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 9.