{"id":848321,"date":"2026-04-02T01:08:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T01:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/848321\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T01:08:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T01:08:23","slug":"colts-shane-steichen-reaffirms-belief-in-daniel-jones-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/848321\/","title":{"rendered":"Colts’ Shane Steichen Reaffirms Belief in Daniel Jones’ Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last August, the Indianapolis Colts<\/a> and head coach Shane Steichen put their full faith in Daniel Jones after he won a competition for the starting job against Anthony Richardson Sr. That decision was on course to pay off if Jones’ season hadn’t been derailed by injuries. <\/p>\n

Jones led the Colts to a historical offensive start, leading the team to an 8-2 record and going several weeks without punting. Jones delivered one of the most efficient stretches of his career in 2025, posting a career-high 68.0% completion rate while throwing for 3,101 yards and 19 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

That success came alongside significant physical setbacks. Jones played through a fractured fibula during the season and later suffered a torn Achilles that ended his year. Those injuries may have derailed a promising campaign, but Steichen has full belief that it’s only a small part of Jones’ story. <\/p>\n

“I think he’s been through a lot,” Steichen said<\/a>. “I mean, he’s been through so many different things in his career so far that I don’t think anything is gonna faze him anymore. He’s been heavily criticized in New York; he’s had an injury here, and he had another injury [in New York]. I think he’s been through the fire pretty good, and I think that’ll make him stronger in the long run.”<\/p>\n

#Colts<\/a> HC Shane Steichen on QB Daniel Jones\u2019 resolve:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 I don\u2019t think anything\u2019s gonna faze him anymore. He\u2019s been heavily criticized in New York. He\u2019s had an injury here. He had another injury (with the #Giants<\/a>). He\u2019s been through the fire pretty good. \u2026\u201d pic.twitter.com\/Pf2piWmWed<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) April 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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<\/a> “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. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Steichen\u2019s alignment with Jones is critical to the Colts\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s sort of like last year, before we faced some adversity and went downhill,” Irsay-Gordon said<\/a> at the annual league meeting. “It\u2019s like we pressed a pause on a movie, and now we\u2019re pressing play, and we get to see what happens at the end. I don\u2019t want to name any names, but there are situations where your head coach doesn\u2019t believe in your quarterback, I mean, you\u2019re kind of screwed. I think Shane and Daniel really align.\u2019\u2019\n<\/p>\n

Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said it was worth paying to see what happens in the third act with Daniel Jones next season \ud83d\udcaf pic.twitter.com\/4bS2u5JE5r<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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