In the National Football League (NFL), the blame for team failure typically ends up on the quarterback’s (QB) shoulders. Daniel Jones (17) learned this the hard way amid his tenure with the New York Giants. Drafted sixth overall in 2019, the Giants selected him with the intention of him becoming their franchise QB for the foreseeable future. With an unfortunately rocky finish to his tenure with New York, Jones turned his career a full 180 degrees with the Indianapolis Colts.
In his rookie season, Jones played behind first option quarterback (QB1) Eli Manning (10) as the second option with occasional playtime. By week three, he became the starting QB. In his first start, Jones registered 336 passing yards along with two rushing and two passing touchdowns (TD) on 23 out of 36 passing attempts, leading the Giants to a comeback win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For his stellar performance, the league named Jones the National Football Conference (NFC) Offensive Player of the Week. Jones finished the year with 3,027 passing yards and led all rookies with 24 TDs. Jones became one of only four rookie QBs to throw five passing TDs in a game against the Washington Commanders. Despite his praiseworthy rookie season, the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) excluded him from the honorary all-rookie team.
Following Manning’s retirement in the summer of 2020, Jones became one of the team’s captains and started every game for the Giants in the 2020 season. In his first season as QB1, Jones marked the season as the only player in Giants history to register 2500 passing yards and 400 rushing yards in a single season. Unfortunately, he sat out for two games due to injury and missed the playoffs for a second season in a row. These sudden injuries signaled a sharp turning point for Jones and his experience with the Giants.
In his subsequent seasons with the Giants, Jones’ tenure only brought further adversity and injury. In the 2021 season, the Giants only finished with four wins and 13 losses due to a neck injury sidelining Jones for the year. The 2022 season mattered to Jones beyond any preceding one, as his rookie contract expired that offseason and the front office expected accomplishment.
Jones not only met, but exceeded the front office’s expectations of success, leading the squad to a nine-win, seven-loss and one-draw season to clinch the playoffs for their first time since 2016. In his playoff debut against the Minnesota Vikings, Jones marked playoff history as the only player to record 300 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and 70 rushing yards in a game. Despite losing in the following round, his upheld promises would earn Jones a four-year, $160 million contract in the offseason. Unfortunately, after his worthwhile extension, another neck injury sidelined him for three games. From terrible to downright tragic, an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear officially ended his 2023 season.
Jones recovered in time for the 2024 season, but he only looked like a penny of the Danny Dimes fans knew and loved. The Giants opted to bench him for Tommy DeVito (16) midseason, which shook Jones’s confidence. With fans’ doubts growing and his role decreasing, Jones opted to request a contract release, which the Giants accepted and let him walk as a free agent. Jones returned to the league the same year on a one-year practice contract from the Minnesota Vikings, but failed to break through and only served as a backup QB.
“With what it looked like, you cannot blame the Giants for cutting Daniel Jones. He played a little bit off after he tore his ACL and Tommy Devito performed a bit better than him, which sucks for how big his contract was. I’m surprised more people weren’t begging for him to retire,” senior Vincent Martinucci said.
With the 2024 offseason concluding, Jones signed a one-year, $14 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Before the season opened, Colts fans expressed discomfort and doubt within the franchise for signing an injury-prone second option, asserting he could not lead the offense in any way. Shushing any objections or critiques before the season, the Colts currently tie with the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots for the best record in the league with seven wins and two losses.
Under head coach Shane Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, Jones’s statistics see a sharp uptick, limiting his rate of interceptions and balancing his capability as both a passing and rushing threat. With his offensive resurgence forcing defenses to adjust and focus attention, Jones unlocks opportunities for his teammates. Running back (RB) Jonathan Taylor (28), currently on pace to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP), gains his chance to run down the open field from defensive coverage, prioritizing slowing down Jones. Even with a shaky loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which he turned the ball over five times, Jones chose to accept his faults and hopes for the team to keep its momentum for the rest of the season. Jones’s story of redemption still releases new chapters, but so far, Indiana Jones eyes a new treasure; the Vince Lombardi trophy.
“Daniel Jones has had a surprising start for the Colts, even past what analysts could expect. Comparing it to what he’s done with the Giants, he looks as if he really polished his game. It’s insane how well a coaching change can do for a QB’s career in the league,” senior Jahleel Thompson said.
