NFL FOOTBALL NEWS

A pragmatic look at the upside, the risk, and a way to make the choice work

According to NFL.com, “Colts naming Daniel Jones as starting QB over Anthony Richardson.” The headline says it all, and it landed like a thunderclap across the NFL. The social reaction was immediate too. One top post on r/NFL summed up the surprise: “Pelissero: The Colts are naming Daniel Jones their…” The ellipsis did a lot of heavy lifting.

Let’s start with the why. There’s a logical case for a veteran stabilizer. The Colts roster is good enough to win the AFC South with competent quarterback play. The run game is stout. The offensive line can mash. The defense is built to keep scores manageable. A steady hand that can set protections, get the ball out, and reduce the self-inflicted wounds can be the difference in a division that often comes down to one-score games.

Health and availability matter, too. Anthony Richardson’s rookie season was cut short, and the staff has every reason to be cautious. The NFL rarely grants a full 17-game runway for on-the-job training. If Jones is truly further along in pre-snap identification and in the quick-game timing Shane Steichen needs to keep the offense on schedule, the “win now” math checks out for September.

There is also precedent for easing a high-upside passer into a system behind a reliable veteran. Patrick Mahomes sat most of Year 1 behind Alex Smith. Baker Mayfield started behind Tyrod Taylor—until he didn’t. Justin Herbert wasn’t supposed to play Week 2; then he did, and never gave the job back. In other words, a veteran starter in Week 1 doesn’t have to define the season—or the future.

But there are real risks. Richardson is the franchise’s ceiling. Every week he doesn’t play is a week of reps he doesn’t bank. And reps are the currency of development. A long veteran runway can muddy the identity of a young team that has been building around Richardson’s athletic dynamism, RPOs, and vertical shots off play action.

There’s also the locker room factor. Teammates know talent. If Richardson flashes in practice and still sits, it can create mixed messages about what the organization values. Think of the Dolphins toggling between Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa in 2020. The short-term logic was sound; the whiplash wasn’t.

Finally, we need to talk about Jones. He’s played winning football, including a playoff win, but he has also battled turnovers and injuries. If the bet is that he provides a higher floor than Richardson’s volatility, it must be paired with a plan for when the floor doesn’t materialize. Otherwise, you risk burning games and delaying the inevitable transition.

A better way to frame this move is as a phased plan, not a verdict. If I’m in the building, I’m approaching it like this:

Start with clarity. The Colts should publicly tie the decision to Week 1 readiness and availability, not to an open-ended preference. Be explicit that development remains the priority and that the bar to change is a combination of performance, health, and command of the offense.

Build in Richardson packages from day one. Red zone, short yardage, two-minute drills where his legs make life hard for defenses—give him live bullets. Let him lead full series, not just gadget plays. The goal is to protect his shoulder and accelerate his processing while keeping the team’s identity intact.

Set a clock. Internally, pick a reevaluation window—four to six games, or the bye week. If Jones is efficient and the Colts are winning, great. If the offense stalls or the ball starts coming out late in the intermediate windows Steichen loves, flip the switch and don’t look back. Once you go to Richardson, go.

Coach the room, not just the depth chart. Sit with both quarterbacks every week. Map out scripted openers with and without QB runs. Make protections a shared language. The starter executes the plan; the franchise player learns why it’s the plan.

What does success look like? If Jones protects the ball, compresses the game, and the Colts lean into their strengths, they can stack early wins while Richardson gets sharper. And if the veteran falters, the transition is a story about a developing star, not about a team cornered by circumstance.

Bottom line: This is not an anti-Richardson decision unless the Colts let it become one. It’s a choice about September that should serve November and beyond. Use Jones as the bridge. Keep the destination the same.

Key references and further reading: – NFL.com news report: “Colts naming Daniel Jones as starting QB over Anthony Richardson” https://www.nfl.com/news/colts-naming-daniel-jones-as-starting-qb-over-anthony-richardson – r/NFL discussion thread: “Pelissero: The Colts are naming Daniel Jones their…” https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/1mukjwg/pelissero_the_colts_are_naming_daniel_jones_their/