The Indianapolis Colts took a chance. Quarterback Daniel Jones broke his fibula but continued to play. The issue with injuries is that many times they can lead to even worse ones because a person has to use other parts of the body even more.
This was seemingly the case for Indy and Jones in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as Jones went down in the first quarter with a non-contact injury to his other leg. Non-contact injuries can be even worse because that might imply the quarterback suffered a tear.
Instead, Jones likely suffered an Achilles injury. Depending on the severity, the quarterback could not only be lost for the rest of the season but also into next year. This could be a year-long problem and affect the 2026 season as well.
Daniel Jones suffers an Achilles tendon injury for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14
Which leads to the next biggest question: If Jones did tear his Achilles, and the Colts won't know until imaging is done and more substantial testing is performed, then what should be done with any possible exemption for Jones? Should his asking price go down because he could miss time next year?
That, of course, is jumping a bit too far ahead. For now, Daniel Jones went down on a pass and didn't truly get up, knowing something was obviously wrong. Riley Leonard will currently take reps as QB1 for Indy because Anthony Richardson, the true backup, is out with a broken orbital bone.
Not that there is any guarantee Indianapolis would be able to have Richardson play and have him play at the level Jones was.
Riley Leonard almost certainly can't. The Colts do have Brett Rypien on the practice squad, but if Jones is out for several games, if not the rest of the season, another quarterback might need to be acquired.
With the Indianapolis Colts facing an upcoming schedule that sees Indy play the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Jaguars again, the season might be done. Going from 7-1 to missing the playoffs would be brutal, but it might also be a brutal reality facing the team and fans alike.