Daniel Jones helped spark a massive turnaround in the Indianapolis Colts’ offense through the first half of the season. Now, as Indianapolis sputters to the finish line, Jones will be a spectator. The Colts quarterback, who helped engineer an offense that was on a record trajectory through eight weeks, suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the first quarter of Sunday’s 36 to 19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and is set to undergo surgery.
The injury and subsequent defeat leave the Colts in a daunting position, with a rookie backup quarterback under center, a brutal stretch run ahead and dimming playoff hopes.
Jones had already been playing through what was believed to be a hairline fracture in the fibula of his opposite leg, and had played the past two games in spite of what is described as a painful injury.