This past offseason brought about a change in identity for the Indianapolis Colts. And, based on what we have seen in the first three weeks of this season, that change looks good on them. In what’s been one of the most unlikely of outcomes, Daniel Jones has managed to guide his new team to a perfect 3-0 start.
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It’s the first clean start of Jones’ career, and also the first one that the Colts have seen since 2009, back when Peyton Manning was still the face of the franchise. The former New York Giant currently has the third most passing yards of any quarterback in the NFL this year (816). Yes, he has managed more than the reigning MVP, Josh Allen (755).
Jones has also transformed the Colts into the third-highest-scoring team in the league. Indianapolis has already managed to drop a collective 103 points on its opponents. Considering that the Colts signed Jones to a measly one-year $14-million contract, they are getting more than their money’s worth by a margin.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 23, 2025
Even though it seems too good to be true, Jones is just outside of the top 10 when it comes to his odds of winning the regular-season MVP award. He is currently sporting MVP odds of +4000, slotting him right in between the likes of Jared Goff and the upward-trending Caleb Williams.
Of course, we are not recommending that you take that bet. Jones’ history suggests that issues could arise sooner than later, especially once he begins to face some stiffer competition. Until then, however, it seems as if the party is destined to continue in Indy.
At his current rate, Jones is shaping up to be this year’s version of Sam Darnold, who revived both his bank account and his career thanks to a sensational regular-season campaign with the Minnesota Vikings last year. Similar to Jones, Darnold received a one-year $10-million contract from the Vikings, but thanks to a divisional title and a 14-3 record in 2024, he was able to cash that in for a three-year $100.5-million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
Should Jones manage to maintain his current rate of play, he would be in line for a comparable pay increase in 2026. Then again, there’s still a lot of football that needs to be played. Week 4 will deliver his first true challenge of the season as the Colts travel to Los Angeles to take on Matthew Stafford’s Rams.
Seeing as they are coming off a debilitating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, it will certainly take everything in Jones’ power to pull off the upset against a highly motivated individual who just so happens to also be one of the best quarterbacks of this era.
Simply put, everything is earned and nothing is given in the NFL. And this will be Jones’ golden moment to earn the success and recognition that the Giants once deprived him of.
