The Indianapolis Colts named Daniel Jones their starting quarterback Tuesday. Jones had been in a training-camp competition with Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ 2023 No. 4 overall pick who started 11 games last season.
Both Jones and Richardson have seen snaps in the Colts’ two preseason games, with Jones completing 17-of-32 passes for 245 yards, and Richardson going 8 of 14 for 94 yards.
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The Colts signed Jones to a one-year contract in March after he was benched and then released by the New York Giants last November. He spent the rest of the 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings but didn’t see the field.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters Tuesday that his decision to go with Jones isn’t just a Week 1 arrangement.
“He’s the starting quarterback for the season,” Steichen said. “I don’t want to have a short leash on that.”
Like Richardson, Jones is a former top-10 draft pick. The Giants selected him No. 6 overall in the 2019 draft. He took Eli Manning’s spot as Giants QB1 that season and went on to spend six years with the team, only making the playoffs once in that span.
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Although he won a wild-card game against the Vikings in 2022 — Brian Daboll’s first season at the helm in New York — and then signed a four-year, $160 million deal, neck and ACL injuries cost him most of the 2023 season. And when he was on the field that year, his play regressed as he went just 1-5 as a starter that season. His struggles carried over to 2024 when went 2-8 as the starter. He was ultimately demoted to third string, with Tommy Devito replacing him under center. Jones was subsequently released, ending his tenure with the Giants.
This breaking news story will be updated.