Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones’ strong start to the season helped spark a significant turnaround in the Colts’ offense, but his 2025 campaign has now come to an abrupt end. Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the first quarter of Sunday’s 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and is scheduled to undergo surgery. The injury leaves the Colts facing a daunting stretch of games with a rookie backup quarterback under center and diminishing playoff hopes.
The injury occurred late in the first quarter on a rain-soaked field. As Jones dropped back to pass, he appeared to make an awkward step while delivering the ball and immediately fell to the turf, clutching the back of his lower right leg. He reacted visibly in frustration as trainers rushed to his side. Following a brief evaluation in the medical tent, Jones was escorted to the locker room and ruled out of the game shortly thereafter.
Jones had already been playing through a hairline fracture in his left fibula, which had limited his mobility over the past two games, though he appeared more mobile in the early stages of Sunday’s contest. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, who entered the game in relief, completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards in his first meaningful NFL action. Jones remained involved from the sidelines, helping Leonard with guidance during the game despite being sidelined.
The Colts’ loss dropped them out of first place in the AFC South, giving Jacksonville sole possession of the division lead. Indianapolis has now lost four of its last five games and faces a challenging remaining schedule, including road games against the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans and a home matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Depending on other results in the AFC, the Colts could also fall out of the seventh and final playoff spot.
After a promising 7-1 start to the season, the Colts now face a critical period where adjustments and resilience will be essential to salvage their postseason hopes. With Jones out for the season, Indianapolis will need to rely on Leonard and the rest of the roster to navigate a difficult closing stretch.
