Daniel Jones’ rough start in Indianapolis has already turned into a costly mess for the Colts.
The quarterback, who tore an Achilles on Dec. 7, 2025, still landed a two-year, $88M deal that can climb to $100M to stay with Indianapolis last offseason. But after another ugly outing in Sunday’s 26-20 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans, the pressure around the Colts only grew louder.
Jones was poor enough that Shane Steichen was asked after the game if a quarterback change was on the table, though Jones is still expected to start when the 2-4 Colts visit the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 25.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano didn’t hold back in a piece published Sunday night, calling Indianapolis’ decision to give Jones that contract “the biggest mistake any team made this offseason.”
“Jones and the Colts lost to the Titans on Sunday,” Graziano explained. “That's something no other team has done this season.
Jones in this game? Well, he was terrible.
He was 22-for-42 with a touchdown, two interceptions and a QBR of 20.4. It's the fourth time in six games that his QBR has been under 35 (QBR is on a scale of 1 to 100, remember).
It's not even his worst QBR of the season -- he somehow put up a 15.8 in a 30-13 Week 4 victory over the Commanders.”
Graziano also pointed out that Jones “is statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in the league” this season. Pro Football Reference had Jones ranked 27th among qualified players with a 41.0 adjusted QBR and 29th with a 71.1 passer rating entering Monday. After Sunday’s loss, Steichen told ESPN’s Stephen Holder that Jones and the offense “have to clean up the turnovers.”
For now, Steichen is sticking with Jones and not moving to Anthony Richardson Sr. or backup Riley Leonard against Minnesota.
The larger fallout may already be underway in Indianapolis. With the Colts struggling, the talk around Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard had already been building for months, and Graziano wrote that “It seems as if things are getting worse in Indianapolis instead of better,” adding, “And if Jones doesn't make an incredible turnaround and get this team into the playoffs, a whole lot of seats are going to start feeling pretty darn hot out there.”
That warning aged quickly. On Monday morning, the Colts announced Ballard had been relieved of his duties, ending his run after 10 seasons as GM.
He finished with a 72-82-1 record and a 1-2 playoff mark. Steichen, meanwhile, remains in place for now.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Have A Problem That Looks Bigger Than One Collapse
The Colts loss to the Titans was ugly enough on the surface, but the way it unraveled after halftime made it feel bigger than a single bad Sunday. Indianapolis had problems all over the field, with the offense coughing up the ball and stalling in scoring range, while special teams helped turn a competitive game into a lopsided one. Even with the defense holding up better than the final score might suggest, the Colts could not string together the kind of stops and clean possessions needed to survive a collapse like that.
Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor were both part of the turnover mess, and the offense never recovered once the mistakes started piling up. At 2-4, the Colts are staring at a stretch that will demand a much cleaner operation on offense and far fewer hidden-yardage disasters on special teams, because the next few matchups leave little room for a repeat. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Now Face Another Brutal Test As Things Start Sliding
A loss at home to Tennessee put the Colts in a tougher spot than they wanted, especially with the schedule now steering them straight into a matchup with one of the leagues most complete teams. The next stop is Minnesota, where the undefeated Vikings bring a strong record and a defense that has made life difficult for plenty of opponents.
For Indianapolis, the challenge is about more than simply bouncing back from one bad Sunday. The Colts are trying to steady things after a game that slipped away on avoidable mistakes, and now they have to do it against a team oddsmakers trust more heavily, with Minnesota laying 5.5 points and the Colts sitting at +210 on the money line. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans May Not Love Whos Back In Trade Rumors
The NFL trade market is starting to take shape, and Indianapolis fans may want to keep an eye on one familiar name. According to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley is open to exploring multiple options ahead of the deadline, with Minnesota surveying help at tight end, running back, interior offensive line, defensive line and safety as injuries and depth concerns continue to pile up.
For the Colts, the part worth watching is the way league chatter can quickly turn into a loose fit for one of their cornerstone players. Quenton Nelson has already surfaced in speculative discussions as Minnesota evaluates interior line help, and while nothing is close to a deal, the fact that he is in the conversation at all is enough to get attention. For a team that has built around its front, it is the kind of rumor that can linger until the deadline dust settles. [Read more 🡒]