Colts make massive change at QB, name Daniel Jones starter over Anthony Richardson

The Indianapolis Colts are shaking things up under center, officially naming Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback to open the season, while Anthony Richardson will step into a backup role for now.

The news first surfaced Tuesday morning via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, dropping just half an hour before head coach Shane Steichen addressed reporters. Steichen later confirmed the move, crediting Jones’ poise at the line of scrimmage, steady command of the offense, and overall consistency as the deciding factors in handing him the reins.

Richardson opened the 2024 campaign as Indianapolis’ starter, but a string of injuries, capped off by an incident where he took himself out of a game, ultimately led to veteran Joe Flacco stepping in to finish the year.

After the season, general manager Chris Ballard made it clear that no one would be handed the job in 2025, vowing to create a true quarterback competition that would challenge Richardson and raise the standard.

That set the stage for the Colts' big offseason gamble. They brought in Daniel Jones on a one-year, $14 million deal, and following a heated battle in training camp, it’s Jones who emerged as QB1 while Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, will now serve as his understudy.

Jones arrives in Indy after a winding journey. He spent the bulk of his career, five and a half seasons, with the New York Giants before being cut loose midway through 2024 and landing with the Minnesota Vikings. This offseason, the Colts swooped in, signing him as an unrestricted free agent. Now, “Danny Dimes” finds himself with the keys to the offense to begin 2025.

Over 70 career games, Jones has tallied 14,582 passing yards, 70 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions. His career highlight remains that unforgettable 2022 Wild Card win over the Vikings, when he became the first player in NFL history to throw for 300-plus yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 70 or more in a playoff game. That breakout performance earned him a four-year, $160 million extension with New York — a deal that quickly soured for the franchise. Two seasons later, Russell Wilson is steering the Giants’ offense while Jones seeks redemption in Indianapolis.

As for Richardson, the third-year signal-caller enters 2025 still trying to find his footing. Limited to just 15 games across two seasons, he’s thrown for 2,391 yards with 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions since entering the league out of Florida. Once viewed as the long-term answer under center, he’ll now have to take a back seat — at least for the time being — as Jones leads the Colts into a new chapter.

Ever since Andrew Luck stunned the football world by walking away just weeks before the 2019 season, the Colts have been searching for stability under center — and it hasn’t been pretty. Over the past six years, Indianapolis has stumbled to a 48-51-1 record, with the revolving door at quarterback telling the story.

In that stretch, no fewer than 10 different starters have taken a turn at the helm: Jacoby Brissett, Brian Hoyer, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew II, Anthony Richardson, and Joe Flacco. The end result? Just one playoff berth, a brief appearance in the 2020 Wild Card round that ended in disappointment.

Now, the Colts are once again trying to reset the narrative, handing the keys to Daniel Jones as they open a fresh chapter. His first test comes on September 7, when Indianapolis kicks off the 2025 campaign at home against the Miami Dolphins — a chance to finally bring some long-overdue steadiness to the franchise’s most unsettled position.