The Indianapolis Colts were one of the best teams in the NFL last season before injuries eventually led to them missing the playoffs entirely. However, the front office decided that it liked what it saw early in the year, which is why the team decided to invest in Daniel Jones as its quarterback for the 2026 campaign.
Jones was a part of the Colts’ injury woes, as he suffered a torn Achilles tendon late in the season that ultimately prompted the team to lure Philip Rivers out of retirement. Even though he’s recovering from that serious ailment, Jones still landed a two-year, $88 million contract from Indy in free agency this offseason. And while he still has a long way to go when it comes to his recovery, it sounds like Jones may end up being ready for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign.
Colts Encouraged by Daniel Jones’ Injury Rehab
Jones was signed by the Colts last offseason to come in and operate as Anthony Richardson’s backup at the quarterback position, but instead, he stole the starting job from him. Richardson ended up missing the entire year after suffering a fractured orbital bone in a freak accident, but even if he was healthy, Jones was going to be Indy’s starter under center.
In 13 games last season, Jones enjoyed the best stretch of his career, and it isn’t particularly close. As a passer, Jones threw for 3,101 yards and 19 touchdowns, with the first figure nearly being a career high, even though he missed what essentially ended up being five games. And while he wasn’t used as much as we’ve seen in the past on the ground (thanks to Jonathan Taylor’s success), he still picked up 164 yards and five scores as a rusher.
Teams across the league were skeptical of how Jones would look once he returned from his serious Achilles injury, but the Colts were sold on him, which is why they handed him his aforementioned deal. That decision could already be paying dividends, as NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom reported that Indianapolis is slowly beginning to believe that Jones could be ready to suit up for its Week 1 action.
“Jones’ season was cut short by a significant knee injury that required surgery, and put a damper on his free-agent market, but it did not diminish the Colts’ enthusiasm about him leading their team in 2026, including as soon as potentially Week 1,” La Canfora wrote. “With Jones back on the practice field for OTAs well ahead of schedule, it’s creating a belief within that organization that a return for the start of the regular season is a real possibility.”
Colts Aren’t Going to Rush Daniel Jones Back for Week 1
GettyDaniel Jones was participating in the Colts’ OTAs less than six months after tearing his Achilles tendon
Seeing Jones participate in the Colts’ OTAs less than six months after going down with this injury was extremely encouraging, and it was the first real sign that he could have a shot at being ready to play for Indy far sooner than expected. Typically, it takes around 10-12 months to recover from a torn Achilles tendon, but Jones could very well wind up being ahead of schedule.
There are still a lot of hurdles that Jones has to clear before he can take the field for Indianapolis, and you can bet that, considering how much the front office just spent on him, it is not going to rush him back before he is ready to return. Still, Jones’ progress is worth keeping tabs on, especially now that a return for Week 1 doesn’t appear to be out of the question.
Latest Daniel Jones Injury Update Could Have Major Impact on Colts’ 2026 Campaign