Daniel Jones is in the midst of one of the most incredible turnarounds we’ve ever seen in the NFL. The former sixth overall pick went from being a meme and a subpar playmaker to an MVP candidate (in the span of a year), leading the Indianapolis Colts to an unexpected 4-1 record and looking like a star in the process.
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Now, we know there’s still plenty of time for Jones to mess this all up. But today, the man deserves some praise for looking like a completely different player. Maybe he won’t stay in MVP discussions all season, but Comeback Player of the Year is certainly within reach given how well he’s played.
Jones was cut by the New York Giants in Week 11 of last year and spent the rest of the season as the backup for the Minnesota Vikings. Around this time, he says, he struggled not just during games but after them, too.
“I don’t know if I could ever say I hated the game. But I mean, yeah, those drives back from the stadium Sunday after you lost, and you’re driving through traffic. You know, those are tough and they make you think about a lot of things,” Jones revealed on Fitz & Whit.
Later on, the Colts QB added that by the end of his time in New York, he was going through it mentally. “At the end of that time in New York, kind of how it ended was tough. You go through a lot,” Jones added.
It’s a part of the game that not many fans explore too often. Most view the players as entertainers who are there to give them joy. But some forget that these players are human beings with feelings and personalities. It must have been hard for Jones to cope with all the blowback he was receiving after every game in New York. After all, it’s known as the biggest media capital in the United States.
However, when all seemed lost for him, Jones shared that moving on to a new team actually helped him immensely.
“Being able to go to Minnesota, watch those guys, learn from Kevin [O’Connell], watch Sam [Darnold] play, see how they did things, taking some scout team reps, and just being there for that, I think was really valuable for me,” the QB shared.
Kevin O’Connell is especially known for turning failed QB projects into successes. Most recently, he turned Sam Darnold into a multi-million dollar commodity. But he’s also helped guys like Josh Dobbs and now Carson Wentz look like viable backup options. There’s no doubt that he imparted some of this wisdom upon Jones while he was with the team last year, even if that was for a brief time.
It’s not just KOC, though. Or Darnold. Jones also credited his family and loved ones for always sticking by him and helping spark this turnaround.
“Mostly my family. I’d say my parents. I’m lucky to have, you know, both of my parents are very involved and care a lot and support us. Me and my siblings come to all the games and are into it. So, I’m lucky, lucky to have them.”
It sounds like Jones, for the time being, has it figured out on all fronts of his life. He’s reclaimed his status as a good QB with potential, found a team that supports him, and continues to have a strong family base to fall back on. Maybe with all of the momentum going for him, he can continue to get better and turn the Colts into a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
But, for now, it’s still one thing at a time for him. This week, he and the Colts prepare to take on the Arizona Cardinals. It should be another win as the team looks to move to 5-1. Yet nothing is ever a given in the NFL, and “Indiana Jones” will need another strong showing to get the job done on Sunday.
