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Daniel Jones was participating in the Colts’ OTAs less than six months after tearing his Achilles tendon
The Indianapolis Colts liked what they saw early in the 2025 campaign, so they decided to keep several of their key pieces in town, even though the team ultimately collapsed down the stretch. That was due in large part to the fact that the team’s starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 14.
Jones was one player the Colts had to make a big decision on this offseason, which led the front office to re-sign him to a two-year, $88 million contract in free agency. Now that Jones is sticking around, though, his injury status has quickly become one of the biggest storylines surrounding the team. With OTAs getting underway, fans received an eye-opening update on Jones’ status that will surely make them happy.
Daniel Jones Participating in OTAs for the Colts
After getting released by the New York Giants midway through the 2024 campaign, the Colts took a flier on Jones in free agency last offseason, signing him to a one-year, $14 million deal. At the beginning, the plan was for Jones to operate as Anthony Richardson’s backup, but he ended up stealing the starting job from him during training camp.
Jones promptly turned in the best season of his career, as he threw for 3,101 yards and 19 touchdowns in 13 starts, leading Indy to an 8-5 record during his time on the field. Injuries gradually destroyed the Colts’ postseason hopes, but when Jones was healthy, they looked like one of the best teams in the league.
Even with his status up in the air as he recovers from his aforementioned Achilles injury, the Colts quickly made it a priority to re-sign Jones this offseason. Now, the focus has shifted from his contract situation to his injury rehab, and things are trending in the right direction for the former first-round pick. In fact, Jones was spotted participating in various drills at the start of the Colts OTAs this week.
“JUST IN: Daniel Jones is throwing at Colts OTAs less than six months after he tore his Achilles,” WISH-TV News shared in a post on X alongside a clip of Jones getting some work in on the field for the Colts.
Could Daniel Jones Be Ready to Play for the Colts in Week 1?
GettyDaniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts
Recovering from a torn Achilles tendon typically takes somewhere between 10-to-12 months, so while Jones is already doing work on his surgically repaired leg, he still has a long way to go until he’s fully healthy. Based on that timeline, it seems like the earliest that Jones could find his way back onto the field would be in late September/early October.
Athletes can make quicker-than-expected recoveries from this injury, though. In the NBA, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics returned from the exact same injury in less than 10 months, so who knows, maybe Jones will be able to make the same sort of recovery. The Colts aren’t going to rush him into action, but Jones could be back on the field way sooner than initially expected if this update is anything to go by.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is an Email Newsletter Editor & Breaking News Writer at Heavy Sports. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, NESN Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
