Colts' Shane Steichen Reaffirms Belief in Daniel Jones' Recovery

The willingness to stay on the field despite injury resonated throughout the locker room and front office. In 2024, the Colts had to deal with Anthony Richardson's "tap-out", but only a year later, they found a player willing to put his body on the line for the success of his team.

The adversity wasn't limited to injuries, either. By the time Jones was named the starter for Indy, it had been less than a year since he was benched and waived by the New York Giants, forcing the former sixth overall pick to rebuild his career from scratch.

Steichen’s alignment with Jones is critical to the Colts’ future. Team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon recently emphasized that connection, noting how important it is for a head coach to fully believe in his quarterback.

“It’s sort of like last year, before we faced some adversity and went downhill," Irsay-Gordon said at the annual league meeting. "It’s like we pressed a pause on a movie, and now we’re pressing play, and we get to see what happens at the end. I don’t want to name any names, but there are situations where your head coach doesn’t believe in your quarterback, I mean, you’re kind of screwed. I think Shane and Daniel really align.’’

Steichen's belief in Jones is exactly why the 28-year-old earned a two-year, $88 million extension with Indy. It's the largest two-year deal in NFL history, which signals the Colts' belief that Jones can become the franchise guy, despite rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon.

The Colts are betting on continuity. It's been a long time since only one quarterback played and finished an entire season for Indianapolis, let alone two. Jones has persevered through injuries and setbacks like few others, and we'll see how that pays off in September.