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The Indianapolis Colts will start Daniel Jones at quarterback over Anthony Richardson in their game against the Miami Dolphins to kickoff the 2025 regular season on September 7, the team confirmed on their social media accounts.
The Colts' confirmation came shortly after NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported the decision on Tuesday (August 19).
"The #Colts are naming Daniel Jones their starting quarterback, per sources. After a training camp competition with Anthony Richardson, Jones — the former #Giants starter — gets the ball Week 1 vs. Miami," Pelissero wrote on his X account.
"Daniel Jones is the #Colts starter, as the organization makes a dramatic shift away from Anthony Richardson," Rapoport added.
Head coach Shane Steichen informed Jones and Richardson of his decision Tuesday morning, according to Pelissero.
Jones signed with the Colts as a free agent this offseason after spending the final weeks of the 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings as a reserve, choosing Indianapolis over Minnesota because of the opportunity to compete with Richardson for the starting role, Rapoport reported at the time. The former first-round pick went 2-8 as a starter in 2024, throwing for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on 216 of 341 passing and has a career record of 24-44-1 in 69 starts for the New York Giants before being granted his release late in the 2024 season.
Jones was selected by the Giants at No. 6 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft and rewarded with a four-year, $160 million extension in 2023 after a career season and playoff victory, which came against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in the Wild Card round. Richadson was selected by the Colts at No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft and has as dealt with injuries throughout his first two seasons, having been limited to just four games during his rookie season before undergoing season-ending surgery and was limited by an oblique injury that ruled him out for two games before briefly being benched for veteran Joe Flacco, who is now with the Cleveland Browns.
The 23-year-old has gone 6-5 in 11 starts, having thrown for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 176 of 348 passing, while also recording 635 yards 10 touchdowns on 111 rushing attempts.