The Indianapolis Colts decided to enter the 2025 campaign with a quarterback battle to determine who would be their Week 1 starter. On Tuesday, the team announced that Daniel Jones had beaten out Anthony Richardson for the starting job, resulting in yet another change at the most important position in the game for the Colts.
In order to have any real shot of success in the NFL nowadays, teams need to have a consistent option under center. That is something Indianapolis has sorely lacked in the wake of Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement after the 2018 season, and if star offensive lineman Quenton Nelson’s comments are any indication, it sounds like frustrations are rising internally.
Quenton Nelson Dishes on Colts’ Starting Quarterback Decision
Nelson has spent his entire seven-year career in the league with Indianapolis after getting selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While the teams he has been on haven’t always been good, Nelson immediately established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the league as a rookie, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team Honors in 2018.
In 2019 and 2020, Nelson would earn both of those honors once again. While he hasn’t been selected to the All-Pro First Team since 2020, Nelson has a pair of Second Team honors, while also earning a Pro Bowl nod in all seven of his seasons. In 2022, Nelson earned himself a massive four-year, $80 million contract extension from the Colts.
And yet, while Nelson has dominated on a yearly basis for Indy, it hasn’t always been easy for him. During his seven seasons with the Colts, Nelson has had to protect 12 different quarterbacks, which goes to show the team’s struggles with finding a reliable option to lead their offense. That number will increase to 13 once Jones takes his first snap in Week 1, and while Nelson understands the move, he doesn’t sound thrilled with the decision.
“I think I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t,” Nelson said when asked if he’s frustrated with Indy’s quarterback woes. “You look around the league and just see the consistency of having Patrick Mahomes or a quarterback behind you that’s been the franchise player for years and years and years. Getting to build that chemistry with that quarterback year after year is something that there is an advantage to when it comes to o-line play.”
Quenton Nelson, Colts Hoping Daniel Jones is the Answer at Quarterback
GettyDaniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts throws the ball against the Green Bay Packers.
Like Nelson, Jones is a former No. 6 overall pick, as that’s where he was selected by the New York Giants in the 2019 NFL Draft. While he led them to the playoffs in 2022, he ended up struggling so much last season that the Giants opted to release him midway through the season without having a proper replacement for him on their roster.
While Jones beat out Richardson for the starting job, that isn’t saying much considering the struggles he has endured to begin his career. It’s tough to be truly optimistic about Indianapolis’ quarterback situation, but Jones will have a top-tier protector in Nelson working for him as he embarks on this new journey. Whether or not he ends up being the consistent option Nelson is looking for under center, though, remains to be seen.
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