AFC Playoff Contender Suffers Devastating Quarterback Injury
Another AFC playoff hopeful faced a gutting injury setback on Sunday.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones exited a monumental Week 14 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a non-contact injury. The team later ruled him out for the rest of the game with an Achilles injury.
Jones appeared to lose his footing while planting to make a throw. He slammed his helmet while on the ground and later tried to limp off the field before falling down and requiring assistance.
The 28-year-old was playing through a fibula injury, throwing two touchdown passes apiece in losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. Jones started, but couldn’t finish Sunday’s battle for control of the AFC South.
Dumped by the New York Giants last year, Jones resurrected his career with the Colts. They entered Sunday fourth in total offense behind the former No. 6 pick, who began the game with a career-high 101.3 quarterback rating and 8.1 yards per attempt.
His injury is a crushing blow for the AFC contender. Despite suffering consecutive losses, the Colts started Sunday two points behind the New England Patriots for the conference’s best scoring margin.
The Colts turned to another former Duke quarterback in Riley Leonard, who hadn’t completed an NFL pass before replacing Jones on Sunday. The sixth-round rookie finds himself at the center of a vital division battle between two 8-4 squads, and Indianapolis may need him during the final four games.
Anthony Richardson remains sidelined with an orbital fracture, and the Colts have yet to clear the 2023 first-round pick for football activities.