Daniel Jones is looking forward to the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback competition.
The Colts signed Jones to a one-year deal Thursday. Jones comes in to compete with embattled starter Anthony Richardson, who has not started a full season in his two seasons in the NFL due to injuries, and has been inconsistent when he is on the field. In a press conference Thursday, Jones said he thought Indy was a good fit for him.
“[Free agency was a] new experience for me,” said Jones. “I think you’re just trying to look through it, see where the best fit is, where you’re most excited to be, and I felt like that was here. So I’m excited to be here. I think just being here today, meeting the coaches, meeting the staff ... [I’ve] been really impressed with everyone here. So I’m excited and looking forward to it.”
Jones was drafted out of Duke by the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick in 2019. He started his career as a backup to Giants legend Eli Manning, but played in 13 games as a rookie. He threw for 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, and added 279 yards rushing. He did not break the 3,000 yard threshold, nor did he throw for more than 11 TDs in either of the next two seasons, though he played just 14 games in 2020 and 11 games in 2021. He did not have a winning record in any of his first three seasons.
Jones had a breakout season in 2022. He played in every game for the team except the season finale; he passed for a career-high 3,205 yards and 15 TDs with five interceptions. He also had 708 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, both career highs. He finished with a 9-6-1 record and helped the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2016. They beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 in the Wild Card round, their first playoff win since 2011. He became the first player to pass for more than 300 yards, two touchdowns, and 70 rushing yards in a playoff game. They lost in the divisional round to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jones struggled mightily after 2022. He played just six games in 2023 due to injury, going 1-5 and throwing for just 909 yards and two TDs with six interceptions. He struggled again in 2024, going 2-8 and throwing for 2,070 yards and eight TDs with seven picks. He was cut by the Giants after 10 games, then signed with the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad.
Jones pointed to the Colts’ offensive success and the offensive coaches as reasons for signing with Indianapolis. Head coach Shane Steichen has led offenses that ranked in the top half of the NFL in total yards and yards per game in both 2023 and 2024. Quarterback Gardner Minshew had a career year in 2023, throwing for a career-high 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions. In 2024, Joe Flacco threw for 1,761 yards and 12 touchdowns with seven picks in eight games.
Jones also mentioned quarterbacks coach Alex Tanney, whom he played with in his first two seasons in New York.
Jones addressed competing with Anthony Richardson for the starting QB job.
“It’s an opportunity to come in and compete, and I’m looking forward to that,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of respect for Anthony, watching him. I think he’s certainly a talented young player, and I think the competition aspect of it brings out the best in everybody. I think we’re both interested in helping this team win games and whatever we can do to help that happen.”
Colts GM Chris Ballard previously said there would be an open competition for the starting gig because of Richardson’s inconsistency.
“We can’t beat our head against the wall,” he said at the team’s end-of-season press conference in January. “We’ve got to have competition at the position, just for the one, for the fact that competition makes everybody better, and then two, he’s not proven he can play 17 games.”
Richardson’s agent told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that Richardson will be ready.
