The Indianapolis Colts are experiencing one of the most unexpectedly successful seasons in recent franchise memory this year. At 8-2, the No. 1 seed in the AFC is well within grasp and the team's first division crown since 2014 feels inevitable. The man leading the Colts to this resurgence? Quarterback Daniel Jones. Yup, the New York Giants reject and Minnesota Vikings legend himself.
Jones supplanted 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson in the offseason as the team's starter and has embarked on his most successful campaign to date. So successful, it's worth taking a look at where the 28-year-old may fit in with some other franchise legends. That'll require taking a peek at the club record books for some critical season benchmarks.
Of course, Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning owns several of those single-season records. Nobody is putting Jones on that kind of pedestal, but it would be quite the career achievement and redemption arc to see him go from being chased out of New York to a potential franchise legend in Indianapolis in just one year.
How does Daniel Jones' season fits into franchise history
There are five major categories Manning holds the club's top spot in for a single season. Jones isn't on pace to catch any of them, but he could finish close enough to be considered remarkable. Former Colts QB Andrew Luck owns the team's single-season passing yards record (4,761), something Jones could close in on himself as well.
Passing Attempts (679)
Starting with attempts, Manning was absolutely slinging the pigskin in 2010. Jones so far hasn't reached the halfway point on that mark and with an average of 31.9 attempts per game this year, he's on pace for just 542 passing attempts. That's well short of Manning's mark but he'd finish 16th all-time and earn some serious respect.
Passing Completions (450)
Jones' 223 completions (22.3 per game) put him on pace for 379 by the end of the year. We've seen him top 30 completions in just a single contest this year and we already know the Colts are not leaning too heavily on an air raid offense. Unless his attempts spike, and that would likely require the team trailing late in contests, Jones would finish tied for sixth all-time with Manning's 2003 campaign.
Completion Percentage (68.8)
At the moment, Jones has completed 69.9 percent of his passes this year. He's ahead of Manning's 2009 record and if he were to stay consistent over the next seven games, Jones could actually write his own name in for this category. This will be dependent on Indianapolis' need for pass-heavy attacks, but if running back Jonathan Taylor continues his ground dominance, Jones could afford to be more selective in his play calling and pass attempts.
Touchdowns (49)
Jones only has 15 scores through 10 games (26 TD pace) and the Colts' running game has been dominant enough to not force him into finding the end zone through the air at all times. His pace would see him in a four-way tie with Manning's 1998, 1999 & 2001 seasons as well as Earl Morrall from 1968.
Wins (14)
Wins, however, could actually be in play. The Colts would need to win all seven of their remaining games to actually break the 14-win mark but their schedule is a potential gauntlet. They'll face two division opponents twice and get things started with a Week 12 bout against the Kansas City Chiefs. Jones has already led the team to eight victories but a concerning injury designation this week could put all that in flux.
Interceptions (28)
This a record Jones will not want to come anywhere close to, but never say never with a QB that has a tendency to turn the ball over at critical moments. Jones has improved vastly on that front while in Indianapolis, only throwing 7 picks to date.
Why Jones’ numbers look different from the Manning era
So, Jones' 2025 campaign shows no imminent signs of being one of the greatest in franchise history, but that's not necessarily because he doesn't have what it takes. If anything, his paces demonstrate just that, but there's more than meets the eye here.
For one, Indianapolis' rushing attack has become so dominant with Taylor in the backfield that Jones hasn't had to toss his way back from many deficits. Taylor has just as many TDs as Jones does, but with his usage, he's more likely to top 20 scores in the next seven games than Jones is.
In Manning's era, the team saw more seasons relying on his arm delivering the ball to future Pro Football Hall of Famers like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne (he'll get to Canton eventually). Sure, the Colts saw rusher Edgerrin James feature in their backfield for seven seasons and this analysis doesn't belittle his accomplishments. But those offenses were much more pass-heavy than today's.
If Jones had the same kind of receiver talent Manning did, then there would be a much greater chance he reaches those kinds of numbers this year. But he's playing with the cards he was dealt and making the most of guys like Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce is impressive enough. Colts fans should enjoy the ride the rest of this year because who knows what else he's got left in the tank.