The Colts’ quarterback competition is over — and Indianapolis has its starter.
On Tuesday, the team announced that Daniel Jones will be the Colts’ QB1 when they open the 2025 season against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 7. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report the news.
Jones beat out Anthony Richardson, the team’s 2023 fourth-overall pick, who hasn’t shown enough growth to keep hold of the starting job. Instead, it’ll be the former Giants first-rounder and Colts’ offseason addition who takes the reins of Indy’s offense.
“He’s the starting quarterback for the season,” head coach Shane Steichen told the Indianapolis Star. “I don’t want to have a short leash on that.”
The battle itself was close — but not necessarily because either player lit it up. Neither Jones nor Richardson truly separated from the other in camp. Both looked sharper as the preseason went along, but Steichen ultimately leaned toward Jones for one key reason: his command of the offense.
“You guys heard me talk about the consistency. That’s really what I was looking for,” Steichen said. “The operations at the line of scrimmage, the checks, the protection, the ball placement, the completion percentage — all that played a factor. Daniel did a great job there. A.R. has made strides, but he still needs to develop in those areas.”
The experience gap mattered, too. Jones has six seasons and 70 NFL games under his belt, plus the Colts gave him a one-year, $14 million deal in March with over $13 million guaranteed. That investment made it clear the team wanted to see what Jones could do right away.
Richardson didn’t help his case when he dislocated his pinky during the Colts’ Aug. 7 game against Baltimore. The injury knocked him out after just six snaps, while Jones logged 30. That lost time tilted things in Jones’ favor by default.
So Richardson heads into Week 1 in a familiar spot: healthy, but watching from the sideline.
It’s been a rocky start to Richardson’s career. His rookie season ended after just a month because of a shoulder injury. Last year, he missed time with an oblique issue and was briefly benched in favor of Joe Flacco. Across two seasons, Richardson has appeared in only 15 games.
The flashes of potential are there — his athleticism is undeniable — but the consistency hasn’t followed. That’s why the Colts brought in Jones: to create competition, push Richardson, and give the team a steadier option at quarterback in the meantime.
