Stephen HolderDec 7, 2025, 02:02 PM ET
- Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, covering the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at large. Stephen finished first place in column writing in the 2015 Indiana Associated Press Media Editors competition, and he is a previous top-10 winner in explanatory journalism in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has previously worked for the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and The Athletic.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones went down with a noncontact injury to his right Achilles, leaving him in obvious pain and out for the remainder of Sunday's pivotal AFC South game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones dropped back to throw late in the first quarter and seemed to lose his footing as he delivered the pass. He fell to the wet turf and immediately grabbed his right lower leg area. He has also been dealing a fibula fracture in his left leg over the past several weeks.
The quarterback proceeded to slam his helmet to the turf multiple times before he was helped to his feet and walked gingerly to the injury tent. A few minutes later, he walked slowly to the locker room and was ruled out of the game.
Jones had played the past two games with his fibula injury (believed to be a hairline fracture), which had restricted his mobility in losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. He seemed to be moving more fluidly Sunday before sustaining his Achilles injury, even scrambling for a first down early in the game.
The injury leaves the Colts in an extremely difficult situation given the facial injury that forced backup and 2023 first-round choice Anthony Richardson Sr. to injured reserve. Sixth-round pick Riley Leonard, a rookie from Notre Dame, replaced Jones in the lineup, playing the first meaningful snaps of his career.
The Colts and Jaguars entered Sunday tied for the AFC South lead.
