This past offseason brought with it a change in identity for the Indianapolis Colts, but through the first three weeks of the regular 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 towards a perfect 3-0 start.
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It’s the first of his career, and it’s also the first one that the Colts have seen since 2009, back when Peyton Manning was still the face of their franchise. Considering that Indianapolis was able to sign Jones to a measly one-year $14-million contract, it’s safe to say that they are getting their money’s worth.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 23, 2025
The former New York Giant currently has the third most passing yards of any quarterback in the NFL this year (816), which includes the reigning MVP, Josh Allen (755). He’s also transformed the Colts into the third highest-scoring team in the league, as Indianapolis has already managed to drop a collective 103 points on the heads of their opponents.
Even though it seems too good to be true, and likely is, he’s just outside of the top 10 when it comes to his odds of winning the regular season MVP award. Jones is currently sporting MVP odds of +4000, slotting him right in between the likes of Jared Goff and the upwards-trending Caleb Williams.
Of course, no one would recommend that you take that bet, as 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 notoriously revived both his bank account and his starting career thanks to a sensational regular season campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. Similarly enough, Darnold received a one-year $10-million contract from the Vikings, but thanks to a divisional title and a 14-3 record, he was able to cash that in for a three-year $100.5-million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
Should he manage to maintain his current rate of play, then it stands to reason that Jones would be in line for a comparable pay increase in 2026. But then again, there’s still a lot of football that needs to be played before anything can become certain.
Week 4 will deliver his first true challenge of the season, as the Colts have been tasked with traveling to Los Angeles, California, to take on Matthew Stafford’s Rams. Seeing as they are coming off of 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.
