The Indianapolis Colts have lost three straight, they’re 2-5, and their quarterback has the lowest passer rating in the NFL among guys who have started all seven games. On Monday, Shane Steichen looked at all of that and said the same thing he’s been saying.

“But he will be our starting quarterback,” Steichen said of Daniel Jones.

So it’s Jones again Sunday in Jacksonville, a place the Colts haven’t won since September 2014.

The numbers are rough
Jones threw for 108 yards in Sunday’s 16-10 loss at Minnesota and was intercepted on Indy’s final drive. Full disclosure: this site enjoyed that drive a great deal. The Vikings defense is now 6-0 worth of nasty, and Jones won’t be the last quarterback who leaves that building wondering where everybody went.

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But it’s not just one bad Sunday. Jones is completing a career-low 59.6 percent of his passes. He has four touchdown passes, tied for the fewest among seven-game starters, and a 69.4 passer rating that ranks dead last in that group. He’s thrown at least one interception in six of seven games, seven total.

Pro Football Talk broke it down further. Since a Week 4 win over Washington, Jones has completed 55 percent of his passes for 787 yards with one touchdown, four interceptions, a lost fumble and 13 sacks. On the season he’s at 1,398 yards with three lost fumbles and 19 sacks.

Some context, and it’s fair: Jones is coming back from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, and he has struggled since returning. That’s a brutal injury for anybody, let alone a quarterback who has always needed his legs.

Steichen hasn’t lost faith. “He knows he’s got to play better,” he said. He added, “He’s proven that he can do it. It’s taking a little bit longer.”

Why not Richardson?
The obvious question is Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023. He hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Oct. 5, 2025 and hasn’t started since Dec. 22, 2024. He’s also facing a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. Steichen said that has nothing to do with the decision.

“No, it does not, not at all,” he said. On Richardson more broadly: “I’ve had private conversations with Anthony and I’ll keep those private.”

The other option, Riley Leonard, has one start in 24 career games. So yes, the Colts’ quarterback room is basically a choose-your-own-adventure book where every ending is a punt.

Steichen’s seat
This is all happening a week after the Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard. Indy has also dropped nine straight true road games, going back to an Oct. 19, 2025 win against the Chargers. When asked about his own job security, Steichen didn’t bite.

“I’m worried about getting ready for the next game,” he said.

That next game is Jacksonville. If Jones turns it around, Steichen looks patient. If not, the conversation in Indianapolis changes fast, and it may not be Steichen who gets to make the next quarterback call.

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