Daniel Jones will indeed be back for Week 1 when the Indianapolis Colts play the Baltimore Ravens because Jones will be back fully for the start of training camp. Who needs 9-12 months to recover from a torn Achilles tendon when the quarterback can get back in eight?
Head coach Shane Steichen had already told ESPN this past weekend that QB1 will be a "full participant" in camp, but Jones confirmed that while speaking with former Colts punter turned massively wealthy podcast host Pat McAfee. McAfee's exuberance about the return of Jones was obvious and logical.
The host also summed up what most Indy fans are feeling about the Jones news when he said, "I'm so excited to hear that!"
Pat McAfee is excited that Daniel Jones will be full-go at Indianapolis Colts training camp
Of course. While Jones needs to stay healthy for the entire season (he has only played one full season in his seven-year career, and he's had three seasons cut short due to various injuries), he has already shown that he is the kind of quarterback Steichen needs for the offense to run at peak level. Indianapolis was on a historic pace in the first half of last year before players started getting hurt.
That included the quarterback. He was already playing on a fractured fibula before he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 14. Jones was beginning to turn the ball over a bit more, which is worrisome because he had a penchant for doing that with his first team, the New York Giants, but how much of that was health-related isn't clear.
The hope is that he starts training camp picking up where he left off midway through last season, only with an even better grasp of Steichen's offense. Jones was only in his first year with the Indianapolis Colts, after all, so he could be more efficient and productive in year two.
Daniel Jones also gives the team a much better chance to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020 than any other quarterback the team has had since then. Anthony Richardson failed in two seasons as the majority starter, and before that, the team was cycling through either aged or career backups as starters. Jones can make everything right again.
Last season, even with his injuries, he had career-bests in quarterback rating (100.2) and completion percentage (68.0). He had his second-most passing yards (3,101) and touchdown passes (19). He likely would have bested the yards had he played out the season. His touchdown passes equaled his rookie season when he played in 13 games, like last year.
The Colts can definitely make the playoffs in 2026, and they just need better health than in the second half of 2025. Jones is back, and that's a great sign. As Pat McAfee said, all Indy fans are likely excited to hear that.
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