On Tuesday morning, the Indianapolis Colts officially signed Daniel Jones to a one-year $14 million contract. The quarterback room is now up in the air, as Jones will likely compete for the starting job with Anthony Richardson. Shortly after the news broke, ESPN's Pat McAfee shared his reaction to the 27-year-old quarterback joining Indy.
During the latest episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” McAfee seemed over the moon with the signing. It may have been sarcastic, but that's up for interpretation. Either way, McAfee seems to like the idea of Jones playing for the Colts next season.
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McAfee also asked Darius Butler, a former defensive back for the Colts, about the signing. However, Butler wasn't nearly as excited about Jones, as he brought McAfee back down to earth. The former NFL star did make a good point, though, comparing Jones to veteran quarterbacks who found success with second chances, like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Geno Smith.
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Jones entered the league with plenty of hype after the New York Giants selected him with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He flashed some potential and did earn a four-year $160 million contract extension after the 2022 season. It didn't pan out, as the Giants released the former Duke quarterback in November during the 2024 season.
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He signed a deal to join the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad, and there was speculation that he was going to remain with that franchise after Sam Darnold opted for the Seattle Seahawks. Instead, Daniel Jones signed a contract with the Colts and has an opportunity to start in the league once again.
Jones played 10 games for the Giants before being released, and it was a struggle throughout. New York went 2-8 in that stretch and felt it was necessary to move on from him midway through the season. He ended the 2024 campaign with 2,070 passing yards, 10 total touchdowns, and seven interceptions while throwing a 63.3% completion percentage.
As for Indianapolis, acquiring competition for the quarterback position might be a smart move. Richardson has been a roller coaster throughout his career so far due to inconsistent play and injuries. Additionally, the soon-to-be 23-year-old quarterback received criticism for benching himself in the third quarter of the Colts' 23-20 Week 8 loss to the Houston Texans. Richardson claims he benched himself because he was tired.
The Colts quarterback finished last season with 1,814 passing yards, 499 rushing yards, 14 total touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also threw a league-low 47.7% completion percentage among starting quarterbacks.