The Indianapolis Colts have supreme confidence in their current core with Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback.
Last season, through the first half of the year, they got a taste of how seamless the operation could be. That was until a torn Achilles tendon ended his season early.
Still, the organization believes they have the perfect recipe for contention in a loaded AFC if he can return early. Thankfully, the latest update is putting him on the right track, much to everyone’s shock.
Daniel Jones Might Make a Stunning Comeback
Initially signed as competition for Anthony Richardson, Jones quickly cemented himself in the starting quarterback role. With Jones under center, the Colts got off to a dominant start, going 8-2 behind an electric offense.
However, injuries started to accumulate for the former New York Giants draftee. Still, he soldiered on until a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 7, 2026. Dropping back for a pass in the first quarter, his leg gave out as he released the pass.
Soon after, head coach Shane Steichen confirmed that he had suffered a torn Achilles tendon and was being placed on the injured reserve list. Given the timing and severity of the injury, his status for the 2026 season also seemed to be in jeopardy.
Till that point in the season, though, he’d already totaled 3,101 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, alongside 164 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, ranking at number eight on PFSN’s QB Impact Metric.
But as Indianapolis prepares for training camp, the latest update directly from the horse’s mouth confirms that he will be back on the field at the start of training camp. Making an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he confirmed that he was fully cleared.
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The shock reverberating throughout the league was almost immediate. One fan exclaimed, “This dude is a freak of nature lmao, he had 2 major leg injuries back to back essentially and will be back less than a year later?”
Some were still skeptical. “This can’t end well,” wrote one fan. Veteran analyst Zain Dhanani, however, believes this was just the final confirmation after all signs were trending in this direction. “We’ve known about this for a while, but good to hear straight from Daniel Jones today. Next step is hearing how his mobility looks.”
Even with the very quick turnaround for Jones, the work is only just beginning for the veteran quarterback. As Jay Robins pointed out, training camp is going to be extremely important for him to get his legs under him.
“With a month and a half left of the off-season, Daniel Jones has some time to try and knock off the rust and regain confidence in his Achilles. He will be a full go for camp after being cleared for 7-on-7s in OTAs. Expect him to be on 11-on-11s and fully participate in Camp.”
However, even as the shock and awe remained, some were immediately skeptical about the update. One Kansas City Chiefs fan, going by the moniker “Arrowhead Live,” threw out a possible theory on social media, claiming, “This seems crazier than Mahomes’ recovery. I wonder if he faked the Achilles tear?”
Others, though, used it as an excuse to settle personal rivalries. One fan wrote, “Clearly, he faked the injury. Am I doing this correctly, Bills fans?”
It remains to be seen if a returning Jones can be enough to keep the Colts in the thick of the playoff race. Last year, after starting 8-2, the team fell apart at the seams and had to bring in Phillip Rivers (!!!) to run quarterback.
Ultimately, they ended up missing the postseason altogether. With the investment in their current core, particularly after the Sauce Gardner trade, the hope has to be that they can resemble the version of themselves that was dominating the regular season at the start of 2025.
