Shane Steichen reiterates Daniel Jones is QB1: "He knows he's got to play better"

Published October 26, 2026 02:38 PM It’s been a rough stretch for Colts quarterback Daniel Jones. But head coach Shane Steichen reiterated to reporters in his Monday news conference that Jones will remain the team’s QB1 as Indianapolis heads to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars in Week 8. “He knows he’s got to play better,” Steichen said, via Mike Chappell of Fox 45 Indianapolis, adding that he hasn’t lost confidence in Jones. The Colts have lost each of their last three games, but Jones’ string of poor play goes back to the Week 4 win over Washington. In those last four games, Jones has completed just 55 percent of his passes for 787 yards with one touchdown, four interceptions, and a lost fumble. He’s also been sacked 13 times in that span.“He’s proven that he can do it. So that’s where the confidence comes from,” Steichen said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN. “And we need to get him back playing to that level that he was last year. It’s taking a little bit longer.” Overall this season, Jones has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,398 yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s lost three fumbles and been sacked 19 times — 7.3 percent of his dropbacks.Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 draft, would presumably be the next man up if the Colts were to make a change. But Steichen appears to be quite reluctant to go back to Richardson, who last started a game in 2024. Richardson has not yet appeared in a game in 2026. He was in for two games last year, completing one of his two passes.In his 17 career games with 15 starts, Richardson has completed 51 percent of his throws for 2,400 yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.Notably, the Colts have not defeated the Jaguars in Jacksonville since Sept. 2014. At least to start, it will be Jones trying to break that streak on Sunday.