Picture this: a quarterback who's as unassuming as your neighborhood accountant, quietly steering one of the NFL's top offenses to unprecedented heights. It's a story that flips the script on what makes a star QB, and if you're a football fan, you won't want to look away – but here's where it gets controversial: is this low-key style the secret sauce for success, or just a fleeting spark in a league obsessed with flash?
Daniel Jones stands out as perhaps the most unremarkable signal-caller in the NFL – and yet, he's proving to be an ideal match for the Indianapolis Colts. His off-field presence is the definition of subdued, exuding the vibe of a bookkeeper rather than a gridiron superstar. If you ask his fellow players for an intriguing tidbit about him – something juicy, something that hints at a deeper personality beyond the robotic football machine – you'll often get blank stares, shrugs, and prolonged pauses.
Even Jones himself admits it straight up.
“I pretty much stick to just this,” he confesses, referring to his day job.
And 'this' means directing the league's most productive attack through the first six games, coming off a year where the Giants dumped him and he languished at the bottom of the Vikings' roster, relegated to practicing against the team's starters. Even during the off-season, Jones flew under the radar everywhere but the Colts' headquarters, eclipsed by the explosive skills and constant buzz surrounding Anthony Richardson, his rival for the top spot.
Most fans were rooting hard for Richardson to snag that starting role.
Seeking the limelight has never appealed to Jones. One offseason in New York, after wrapping up a campaign cut short by a torn ACL in his right knee, Jones met up with his former offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, for a meal in the city. The quarterback arrived a bit behind schedule.
“I'm so frustrated,” Jones exclaimed.
He elaborated: He usually jogs from his Hoboken, New Jersey, apartment, catches the ferry over the Hudson, then rents an e-bike to ride into Manhattan. But with his knee injury, jogging wasn't an option. He missed the boat and defaulted to an Uber.
“These days, so many NFL big shots won't step out without their security details,” Garrett notes. “And here’s this guy pedaling a city bike along the West Side Highway. That's peak Daniel Jones right there.”
Midway through their meal, Garrett inquired if anyone ever spots him on that bike.
“Oh, absolutely,” Jones replied. “I get lots of second glances.”
Dinner and game plans
Jones landed in Indianapolis without much hoopla, then steadily won over the staff and squad with the routines he honed in New York. Back then, every Friday evening followed the same pattern: after digging into a plate of Bolognese pasta, he'd ring up his offensive coordinator to review every play on the sheet.
Jones has improved his focus over time, he explains, honing in on what to prioritize in study and which insights to pursue. In Indy, his teammates now tease him for showing up late to team outings. His alibi? He's often still at the facility, immersed in game footage.
It was during the Saturday evening QB session, just 16 hours before the Colts faced the Cardinals, that Jones requested specific clips on the screen. “Let's cue up Carolina play 42,” he suggested. “And Carolina 38.” These were formations the Cardinals' defense had used against the Panthers in a Week 2 matchup weeks prior. “We need to nail this,” he urged the group.
This dedication, this relentless pursuit of tiny nuances that can decide contests, has forged a seamless bond with head coach and play-caller Shane Steichen. Steichen, a former quarterback himself, was the kid who'd skip parties in high school to sneak into the stadium for extra throwing sessions with receivers. The coach lives and breathes football, with minimal bandwidth for anything outside it.
“That’s the kind of guy you need in that role,” Steichen affirms. “When he trains like this, he stays steady under pressure.”
Jones has remained unflappable. So have the Colts. They're sitting at 5-1, topping the league in points scored and leading a division they haven't conquered in more than a decade. Their 194 points in six games shatter the club's record, and that's impressive when you've got a statue of Peyton Manning – a legendary passer – standing outside the stadium.
Who would've thought a franchise in disarray would find its missing link in a QB who, just 11 months earlier, hit rock bottom in his career?
Jones secured under 35% of his starts across six Giants seasons. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
Around that time, things unraveled for the Colts after Richardson opted out of a road divisional game, later citing fatigue. For the following 10 weeks, the team became tabloid fodder. Some veterans pulled Richardson aside for private chats, pleading for more commitment. Others aired grievances publicly, criticizing the team's hustle, drive, and concentration. The outcome felt eerily familiar – another winter sans playoffs – leading one veteran to point fingers at leadership. “There's no clear direction,” he stated (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6030736/2025/01/02/colts-ballard-steichen-richardson-irsay/).
Those remarks hit Chris Ballard hard privately. They angered him too. But the team's sluggish close to another letdown of a season made the veteran GM realize he'd become inflexible and obstinate, believing his methods would pay off eventually. After eight years, they hadn't. It was time for a change.
In a heated post-season presser, Ballard pledged to amp up free agency moves. He followed through. He also committed to a genuine QB showdown in camp. If Richardson wanted to retain his position, Ballard declared, he'd have to prove it. Many in the league doubted it, and the fans were even more skeptical. Could the Colts really bench the No. 4 overall pick just three years in?
That Ballard inked Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract in free agency spoke volumes. It wasn't the payout for a reserve. It wasn't full starter cash either. It was the rate for an open battle. Ballard remembered his close calls in free agency, like edge rusher Danielle Hunter bolting to the rival Texans in 2024 after hot pursuit. With Jones, he refused to settle for second place.
What sealed it were in-depth talks with two Colts aides – offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. and new passing game coordinator Alex Tanney – who'd worked with Jones in New York. They praised his method. They endorsed his integrity. Ballard knew Steichen would appreciate Jones' straightforward demeanor. No one would have to prod him to give more.
Then Jones clinched the gig, and most fans erupted in outrage. Ballard listened. He saw the storyline forming: Jones as the mistaken pick, doomed to flop like in New York. He devoted much of his season-opening briefing to redirecting the narrative, sometimes defensively. He didn't want the focus on the QB sidelined. He wanted it on the one in action (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6580102/2025/08/27/colts-gm-benching-anthony-richardson-daniel-jones/).
In the meantime, the roster was coming around. Jones, teamed with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., arranged a private week of drills in California pre-camp, covering a big part of the costs. Pro Bowl left guard Quenton Nelson, intimately familiar with the Colts' QB merry-go-round, sensed the vibe shifting during camp. “We're racking up more solid offensive days than before,” he mused. “This is really syncing.”
Wideout Alec Pierce points to intense practices. Steichen ramped up live drills this summer, including some fully improvised ones. Translation: ditch the script, let's just play ball. Coaches had to call plays on the fly, mirroring game days. “It pits players against each other and coaches too,” Pierce describes. “That was fresh. That helped us a ton.”
Plus, there was the shadow of last year's woes.
“Everyone waged their own struggles and came up short in unique ways,” recalls linebacker Zaire Franklin, whose bold claims last season went unmatched by the defense. “Everyone agreed: time for a clean start.”
Franklin ticks off veterans and newcomers – himself, Kenny Moore II, DeForest Buckner, Jones – plus new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who's shored up a porous defense, and new owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon, who assumed control after her father's May passing (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5209693/2025/05/21/jim-irsay-dead-indianapolis-colts-owner-ceo-nfl/). In many respects, it's like a reboot for the franchise.
So what's changed beyond the QB? What's locking in now that never did before?
The linebacker grins, then shakes his head.
“Honestly,” Franklin says, “we've got a bunch of guys who've stuck around and are sick of the losing streak.”
‘Indiana Jones’ is guiding a Colts offense averaging more than 32 points per game through six weeks. (Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
As it happens, Daniel Jones does enjoy one pastime outside football. He and Pierce squared off on the golf links all summer.
But mostly, it's all football: in his downtime, Jones traveled to Princeton, New Jersey, to assist Garrett with his youth football camp, an annual commitment since their 2020 New York meeting.
Garrett, who coached the Cowboys from 2010-2019, served as Giants OC in 2020-21, and now analyzes for NBC's “Football Night in America,” sensed in August that his former QB had landed in the perfect spot. He visited Jones during camp, reviewing tape and assessing his ease with the new town, coach, and system. “He craved a fresh beginning,” Garrett explains. “The mental picture of Daniel in New York was him scrambling constantly.”
In Indianapolis, it's a different tale: After six games, the Colts have allowed the fewest sacks league-wide. Jonathan Taylor tops the NFL in rushing. Rookie Tyler Warren could already rank among the game's elite tight ends. With a strong group of receivers like Pittman, Pierce, and slot man Josh Downs, Jones is thriving. The Colts' offense leads in points per game, yards per play, and offensive efficiency. Over 61% of their possessions result in scores.
Colts offense: 2024 vs. 2025
2024
Stat
2025
17th
Points per game
1st
17th
Yards per play
1st
25th
Off. Success Rate
1st
32nd
TOP/drive
3rd
27th
1st downs/drive
1st
32nd
Comp. %
3rd
23rd
Passer Rating
11th
19th
Turnover Margin
3rd
It’s the style Steichen dreamed up upon arrival: Pass to rack up points, run to secure wins.
The NFL has noticed. So have some of Jones' former Giants pals.
“Besides the Eagles and me, I don't want anybody else dominating except Daniel Jones,” Saquon Barkley told CBS Sports in September.
“Look, I can tell you this: Saquon and his ex-teammates still adore him,” Garrett shares. “They'd charge through barriers for Daniel because he leads the way for the whole team. He's the top grinder in the gym. He's first in wind sprints and all that. He's one of the finest people I've encountered in my playing and coaching days.”
Perhaps Jones just required a clean slate to rejuvenate his career. Maybe the Colts' strong opening will wane as we head into November and December. Perhaps it's all smoke and mirrors: Their five victories came against squads with a collective 10 games below .500.
Garrett understands his old QB will stay consistent, win or lose. The post-game texts from Jones are always the same, as predictable as you'd imagine: “Thanks coach. Keep grinding. Keep pushing. Keep improving.”
And this is the part most people miss: in a sport where quarterbacks are often judged by their charisma and highlights, Jones' understated approach might be the ultimate counterpoint. Is his 'vanilla' style a limitation, or the key to unlocking team-wide success? Do you think the Colts made the right call by choosing Jones over Richardson, or is this just a temporary high before the inevitable slide? Share your thoughts in the comments – do you agree that work ethic trumps flash, or disagree that Jones is the 'perfect fit'? Let's discuss!
