Colts Reportedly Choose Starting QB: Daniel Jones

In January, following the team's fourth consecutive season without a playoff berth, general manager Chris Ballard established that the team would hold an open competition for the top quarterback role, committing to bringing in another player to push Anthony Richardson Sr.

In March, the team signed Jones in free agency as one of their top priorities, and after a battle throughout training camp, which featured 14 practices (including two joint practices and preseason games against the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers), Jones is now the winner.

Going back to late May during OTAs, and then the team's mandatory minicamp in June, the competition got off to a shaky start, as Richardson experienced pain in his previously operated-on right throwing shoulder, which caused the Colts to hold him out of the final couple of weeks of the offseason program, giving Jones a leg up. However, Richardson was able to recover in time for training camp in late July and hit the ground running.

Throughout camp, Richardson and Jones remained on a somewhat even trajectory. Jones was completing more passes, picking up the offense quickly, and giving the coaching staff what they'd hoped to get when the team signed him, but Richardson was making bigger plays happen.

Following the Colts' most recent preseason contest last Saturday at home against the Packers, Steichen was asked how he felt about each quarterback operating the offense.

“I think it's everything, right? The operation, the communication in the huddle, the checks, getting guys on the same page," Steichen said. "The consistency of all that, obviously, is going to play a big factor in this.”

Jones will now get the opportunity to prove Steichen right and become one of the NFL's latest reclamation stories at quarterback, after he experienced the highs of a $160 million contract extension in 2022, followed by the lows of injuries and his ultimate release from the New York Giants just a couple of years later.

The Colts begin the 2025 regular season on Sept. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Miami Dolphins.

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