Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts have been one of many tales of the 2025 NFL season to this point.
Having been exiled from the New York Giants simply over a yr after penning a four-year, $160 million extension in March 2023, the veteran quarterback is appearing as a person possessed together with his new staff.
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With the 4-1 Colts dominating the headlines, the NFL on FOX crew opted to spend a phase of their pre-game present showcasing Jones and the Colts’ offense.
With four-time Tremendous Bowl champion Terry Bradshaw appearing as Jones, the crew, additionally comprised of Michael Strahan, Jay Glazer and Curt Menefee, demonstrated how the Colts use play-action and the speeding risk of two-time Professional Bowler Jonathan Taylor to open up the passing recreation for Jones and his receiving corps.
As Bradshaw fired over a go to an open Strahan within the nook, the 77-year-old may very well be heard joking: “Oh my god does that harm,” earlier than patting his head and laughing whereas saying “take me out!”
This may very well be interpreted as a dig at Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson, who final season ‘tapped out’ of the Colts’ recreation in opposition to the Houston Texans claiming he was “drained.”
Strahan spoke of how Jones is so “bodily gifted” due to needing to have a “sturdy arm” to make the kind of performs he does for the Colts, earlier than Bradshaw provided his personal two cents.
“He didn’t lose his confidence,” Bradshaw added. “Whenever you get beat up like he did in New York, then he goes to Minnesota after which there [Indianapolis.]
“However my god, his confidence is thru the roof proper now.”
By means of the primary 5 weeks of the 2025 NFL season, Jones has gone off for 1,290 yards from 107 go completions at a career-high 71.3 p.c completion proportion, six touchdowns and two interceptions.
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Jones is a reliable MVP candidate
The massive quarterback names, corresponding to Kansas Metropolis Chiefs franchise star Patrick Mahomes to this point unable to get his staff firing, and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson one among many stars injured on the struggling Baltimore Ravens, the MVP race within the early phases of the 2025 marketing campaign has been blown huge open.
Former Texans and Arizona Cardinals defensive finish J.J. Watt believes there are two main front-runners for the coveted particular person award – neither of whom have been favored names coming into the season.
“It has been actually thrilling this yr,” Watt stated on the NFL on CBS broadcast. “It is a dialog that is been dominated up to now by Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen.
“This yr now we have a complete crop of men and I believe, once I take a look at it, the 2 guys that stand out to me most are Baker Mayfield, who has been main a few of these unbelievable late-game drives to win for the Bucs.
“And Daniel Jones, who’s doing one thing unbelievable in Indianapolis. He has gone in there, and I do not suppose anyone noticed this season going fairly the way in which that it has to this point for the Colts.
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“However he is simply stepped in, and is one other one among these guys in a brand new position, new teaching employees will get the very best out of him.
“He is been doing an unbelievable job to this point for them.”
Coming into Sunday’s contest in opposition to the Cardinals, Richardson was initially listed as a ‘wholesome scratch’ which noticed rumors start to swirl over the third-year professional being a commerce candidate.
Nevertheless, in a weird flip of occasions, it was revealed that the fourth total decide within the 2023 draft had suffered a freak eye harm after receiving a band to the face throughout warm-ups.
Richardson misplaced his beginning position over the summer season to Jones, and hasn’t taken to an NFL discipline because the Colts starter since Week 13 of the 2024 season in opposition to the New England Patriots.
With Jones a worthy MVP candidate, it would not look as if he might be getting a possibility any time quickly – not in Indianapolis anyway.
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