Daniel Jones makes big admission about Colts fans after win over Dolphins

Before Daniel Jones shocked the NFL community by guiding the Indianapolis Colts to an impressive 33-8 victory over the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday, he spent the summer competing with Anthony Richardson Sr. for the Indianapolis starting job. 

During a Monday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Jones acknowledged he wasn't necessarily a popular figure among certain Indianapolis fans and analysts after he flopped over his final couple of seasons with the New York Giants. 

Daniel Jones knows what has been said and written about him

"...I definitely realize the public, the media, the press is not in my favor, has not been in my favor," Jones acknowledged during the segment. "And that’s part of it. We didn’t win enough games in New York, and I didn’t play well enough, so that comes with it. But I think you're aware of it. In this day and age, you can't completely block it out, but you try to as best you can and stay focused on what you’re doing." 

Jones became somewhat of a punchline in NFL circles as he went 3-13 over his final 16 starts with the Giants before the two sides parted ways in November 2024. After the Colts signed him in March to have him compete with Richardson, many outside observers made it known they viewed the 2023 first-round draft pick as the option with the higher upside. 

Colts head coach Shane Steichen nevertheless went with Jones for the regular-season opener against the Dolphins, and the 28-year-old then produced what may have been his best overall performance since he led the Giants to a road playoff win in January 2023. Against Miami, Jones completed 22-of-29 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown. He also contributed a pair of rushing scores in what became a laugher.

Per ESPN stats, Jones ended Week 1 of the season ranked fifth in the league among qualified players with an 87.5 adjusted QBR and sixth with a 115.9 passer rating. That said, ESPN's Ben Solak pointed out that Jones "was barely hassled" by a Miami defense that tallied six pressures on the signal-caller's 33 dropbacks.

Jones will once again look to silence doubters when the Colts host the 1-0 Denver Broncos this coming Sunday. Denver opened the campaign with a 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans.