The Indianapolis Colts have officially named Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback for the 2025 NFL season, placing Anthony Richardson in the backup role. This decision ended months of speculation about whether the young, explosively talented Richardson or the more consistent Jones would lead the Colts in the upcoming campaign.
Jones, who recently joined the Colts after six seasons with the New York Giants and a brief stint with the Minnesota Vikings, will start the season opener against the Miami Dolphins on September 7. In contrast, Richardson, the third-year quarterback who showed flashes of brilliance but also struggled with consistency, will have to wait for his opportunity to reclaim the starting position.
Head coach Shane Steichen explained the reasoning behind his choice during training camp when he told Jones the job would go to “who the coaches trust.” Consistency and the ability to “run the operation” smoothly factored heavily into the decision. Unlike Richardson, whose game is characterized by explosive plays and notable athleticism, Jones offered steadier performance and better decision-making in passing plays.
“You can have splash plays,” Steichen said back in April, “but if you’re doing that sparingly, the passing has got to be consistent to get where we want to go.” This philosophy ultimately shaped the Colts’ selection of Jones over Richardson, who was benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco last season and has since battled for the job throughout the offseason and preseason.
Preseason performances spanned a range of promising and uneven moments for both quarterbacks. During a recent preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, Jones found his groove by completing multiple effective passes, including a well-timed 25-yard throw to the rookie tight end, which helped put the offense near the end zone. Richardson also showed flashes of improvement, notably engineering a 90-yard scoring drive and demonstrating enhanced short-yardage accuracy with a precise throw while rolling out.
Despite Richardson’s moments of promise and his natural talent, the coaching staff deemed Jones the safer and more reliable choice for the starting role at the beginning of the season. The decision was met with mixed reactions from fans and analysts, some of whom feel that the Colts may be stepping back from the potential long-term upside Richardson represents.
Richardson himself publicly reacted to the announcement with professionalism, reaffirming his commitment to the team and preparedness to contribute when called upon. The Colts’ offensive unit will look to combine Jones’ steadiness with Richardson’s athleticism as the season progresses, hoping to find a balance that can lead to sustained success.
As the Colts gear up for the season opener, all eyes will be on how Jones adapts to his starting role and whether Richardson can leverage the backup position to improve and eventually reclaim the starting quarterback job. This situation underscores a broader challenge for the Colts franchise: balancing immediate consistency with developing the high-ceiling talent of a young prospect.