The Indianapolis Colts were hit with devastating news in Week 14. Daniel Jones, who left the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with what was feared to be an Achilles injury, did in fact suffer a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The reclamation quarterback will undergo season-ending surgery. Jones' unfortunate injury potentially takes one more team out of the AFC Playoff race, which is another fortunate break for a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But Jones' injury doesn't just shake up the AFC in 2025; it could change his career path for 2026 and beyond.
The Colts had internal contract extension discussions for Jones long before becoming one of the top offenses in the NFL, according to ESPN's Stephen Holder. However, Jones' catastrophic injury could halt these discussions... and the Steelers could reap the benefits of the Colts' misery.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could target Daniel Jones in free agency in 2026 after his unfortunate Achilles injury
After bouncing around from the New York Giants to the Minnesota Vikings, Jones was playing on a one-year, $14 million 'prove it' deal from the Indianapolis Colts. After exceeding all expectations, Jones was on track to be the Colts' long-term quarterback option.
This was made clear when Indianapolis GM Chris Ballard was comfortable sending two first-round picks to the New York Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner—draft capital that could have been spent on a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Now Jones' shocking injury throws a monkey wrench in the whole situation.
Colts' head coach Shane Steichen entered the 2025 season on the hot seat. The team made a brilliant decision signing Jones this past offseason, but can they afford to wait for him to recover?
Jones will turn 29 years old shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, it could take Jones a full calendar year to make a full recovery from his Achilles injury. The timetable for most Achilles injuries ranges from nine to twelve months.
With the start of Jones' 2026 season now in jeopardy, the Colts may be forced to move in a different direction at quarterback instead of inking the veteran to a long-term extension. If this proves to be the case, Pittsburgh could throw its hat in the ring for the reclamation quarterback.
Jones is set to become a free agent following the 2025 season. Unfortunately, the Steelers would run into the same problems that the Colts would—Jones is unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2026 season, and they would be taking a gamble on his health.
However, the Steelers have made desperation quarterback moves since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, so this would be nothing out of character for Mike Tomlin and company.
Daniel Jones looked like a long-term quarterback for the Colts before his crushing injury. Now the uncertainty surrounding his future in Indy could open a path for the veteran quarterback to land with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026.