The Indianapolis Colts got off to a fast start to the 2025 NFL season, with veteran journeyman quarterback Daniel Jones looking like he had finally found a long-term home in the league, as he thrust his name into the NFL MVP conversation.
Unfortunately for Jones, his newfound success during his first season in Indianapolis was cut short when he went down with a devastating Achilles injury, which would sideline him for the rest of the year while also putting doubt on his future with the Colts.
Despite the injury, which takes a long time to recover from, the Colts saw enough from Jones to sign him to another deal, as they believe in his ability to be the leader of his team once he returns.
Daniel Jones’ Rehab Compared to Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins
GettyDaniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts
At this point, it is unclear when Jones will be able to return to the field for Indianapolis, as Achilles injuries often require a lengthy rehab.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network compares Jones’ rehab to what Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins went through and how it may take the Colts star a full year of playing before he gets back to form.
“It’s one thing to say a guy’s 100% healthy and cleared for a return to action,” Pelissero said. “But in terms of when he needs to break the pocket, when he needs to move around, how confident is he, confident is he in terms of throwing the football and his footwork, and we’ve seen it with older players like Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins.
“Again, those guys being a significant number of years older, you would think Daniel Jones, who’s dealt with injuries in the past, he knows what rehab is about. You’d think that he would potentially be a faster healer, but it really took those guys a whole year after the injury, a whole season to get back, and okay, they’re starting to look like they can play like themselves again.”
At 28, hopefully youth is on Jones’ side, and a speedy recovery is in the cards. The recent return to the floor for Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum might be a good example of what can be achieved during the recovery process after an Achilles injury, as he returned in 10 months, which was surprising, to say the least.
Can Daniel Jones Return for Week 1?
GettyDaniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts
Pelissero also dove into Jones’ timeline to return, projecting about 10 months while also saying the Colts re-signed the talented quarterback because they have no intentions of “punting on 2026,” with the team intending to be competitive.
“You’re talking about right around nine months if we’re talking about the start of the season here, Pelissero said. “So, we’ll see, but they would put it this way. They would not have been tedious and tagged him. They would not have done a two-year, $100 million deal with $60 million guaranteed if they thought, ‘God, we’re basically punting on 2026.’ No. And there were other teams that stood ready to make a push for Daniel Jones if he didn’t get tagged. That tells you that the level of play was high enough that it makes sense the Colts are doubling down and believing in Daniel Jones. It’s really just a matter of how quickly is he able to knock the proverbial rust off, really feel like himself again.”
Only time will tell how things pan out for the Colts, as Jones’ recovery will be a hot topic throughout the NFL offseason and the beginning of the 2026 campaign.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Insider Compares Colts’ Daniel Jones’ Rehab to Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins appeared first on Heavy Sports.