Colts Gambled On Daniel Jones And Look Like They're About To Lose It All

Moments after Daniel Jones fell to the turf in Jacksonville with an apparent Achilles tendon tear in his right leg, Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson dropped to one knee, laid hands on the quarterback and began to pray.

The Colts need that prayer to work because they're in deep, deep trouble, and it's not just about this injury this year.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 07: Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts walks off the field after an injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first quarter at EverBank Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Daniel Jones To Have Surgery 

The Colts are in a mess because sometime on Monday an MRI is expected to confirm Jones suffered the season-ending injury and needs surgery.

That will be only part of the bad news. The Colts, you see, don't have an experienced backup quarterback to save the day or the rest of the season. 

That's because the player they drafted in 2023 to actually be their franchise quarterback, Anthony Richardson, has been something of a bust.  Plus, Richardson is also injured with a freak orbital bone fracture. And there is no certainty when he'll be ready to come back off the injured reserve list. 

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) reacts after the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Anthony Richardson Hasn't Been An Answer

Did I mention Richardson wasn't too thrilled with the organization before the injury, either, because he was benched last year and replaced as the starter this year?

The Colts are in trouble because they don't have a viable answer at quarterback the remainder of this year unless you think rookie Riley Leonard or practice squad player Brett Rypien is the answer for a playoff push. 

And, more bad news, Indy does not have the resources to select a quarterback early in next year's draft.

So, yes, the Colts have huge problems.

When the confirmation on Jones' injury finally comes in, the expectation is the player will be out the better part of a calander year, perhaps nine or 10 months. 

Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) looks over the Jacksonville Jaguars defense pre-snap during the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Colts Bet It All On Jones

So, he'll miss the entire offseason program next spring. He will miss OTAs and mandatory minicamp, training camp and next preseason. 

And all of this means the Colts that stumbled into being a contender this year based on Jones playing well, look like they're about to collapse because that house was built on a deck of cards.

You'll recall that the Colts actually signed Jones in the 2025 offseason with the expectation that he would merely compete with Richardson. 

Then he not only beat out Richardson, but made general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen look like geniuses when he played like an MVP candidate early in the season and the Colts were the AFC's top seeded team. 

Some smart people had their doubts, but the Colts convinced themselves they were a Super Bowl contender. So, they pushed all their chips to the center of the table and traded away two first-round draft picks – their top pick in 2026 and 2027 – to the New York Jets for Sauce Gardner. 

Nov 9, 2025; Berlin, Germany; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) in action against the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL Berlin Game at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sauce Gardner Has Been Injured

You know what that trade meant in November? It meant the Colts thought themselves a defensive player away from making a championship run.

You know what that trade means today? It means the Colts don't have a pick or picks with which they can select a top quarterback in the 2025 draft as insurance for the fact Jones has never been great, and wasn't durable enough to finish the season when he came closest to being good.

(Also, Gardner has missed a couple of starts with a calf strain).

So now the Colts don't have Jones, don't have a proven backup, don't have picks to select a quarterback next year, haven't had Gardner lately, and don't have Jones signed for 2026 anyway.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 07: Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts is checked on by trainers after an injury during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Colts Will Be Pressed To Make Playoffs

You know what else the Colts are starting to be short on? Those Super Bowl hopes of a month ago. 

No one in Indy will admit it, but anyone thinking Super Bowl now like they were at the trade deadline, is deluded. 

We've witnessed this team lose three consecutive losses and the actual difficult portion of the Colts' schedule is looming in the season's final four weeks.

The truth is, it wouldn't surprise if the Colts don't make the playoffs this year at all. So, no, this doesn't look like answered prayers.