Daniel Jones is eager to get back on the field as Colts face Ravens in Sunday's season opener

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — From the moment Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones had his torn right Achilles tendon repaired, the goal never wavered.

He was going to start the Colts' season opener in the following season.

On Sunday, Jones' nearly nine-month journey back will end the way he envisioned — taking snaps on Week 1, his first game action since early December.

“I feel really good,” he said Wednesday. “It felt good to start (training) camp. I feel even better now. So, yeah, I'm happy with where I am physically. I'm definitely excited to be out there and grateful for all the people who have helped me get to this point."

Jones has been checking off boxes one by one ever since he fell to the turf in Jacksonville on Dec. 7.

Two days later, he had surgery. Then came the long grueling, rehab process. He contacted NBA star Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, who was still recovering from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered during the 2025 Finals, and watched Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum return in less than 12 months.

Each subsequent step made Jones hopeful he would fulfill his pledge, too.

By the spring, he was running again on the Colts practice field, and by June he was cleared to do position group work and 7-on-7 drills. When he arrived for training camp in July, the team doctors cleared him for 11-on-11 work without restrictions, and he took full advantage by not missing a practice snap. He even participated in the controlled joint practices with New England and Atlanta.

But coach Shane Steichen held him out of all three preseason games, forcing Jones to wait till Sunday's season opener against Baltimore to check the next box — getting hit in the game day environment. And he's eager to get started.

"I think I've completed every phase of this process and, yeah, I guess the last part is playing in a game,” he said. “But I feel like I've simulated all that stuff with the exception of the, you know, hits and stuff. But I feel good about being in live game action.”

So do the Colts, who re-signed Jones to a two-year contract extension worth $88 million in March. Incentives could increase the final value up to $100 million — if he returns to his pre-injury form.

Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard believe Jones can get there quickly.

“Tatum came back in, what, 8 1/2 months I want to say and so looking at that, obviously he (Tatum) is moving around a little more — Daniel's in the pocket, obviously, he's got to move, too,” Steichen said. “But just talking to the guy that did his surgery, talking to the trainers and doctors, they all said the same thing — it's all about the rehab process and the work you put into it. The more you work at the rehab, the harder you work, the fast you can recover and I had no doubt he (Jones) was going to put in the work, and he did.”

The final step, getting fully in sync with an offense that returns nine starters, could take some time, though.

While Steichen did play some starters briefly in the preseason finale against Detroit, Jones, Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor and new No. 1 receiver Alec Pierce were not on the field.

Taylor's summer workload was being closely monitored because after logging more than 300 carries in 2024 and 2025, and Pierce returned to practice last week after being activated off the physically unable to perform list following ankle surgery in March.

Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million extension before the surgery, became the Colts No. 1 receiver when the team traded Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh. He also expects to play Sunday without any limitations. Pierce led all qualifiers in yards per catch in 2024 and 2025.

“Yeah, it felt good (to practice), just to get back into it. It's fun to be out there," Pierce said Wednesday. “I think we've just got to see how this week goes and continue to build up (the stamina) more in practice.”

Jones also is getting acquainted with his new No. 3 receiver, six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen, who joined the Colts in mid-August.

But the biggest question is what will Jones look like on opening day?

“I think when you get to (Week 1), it's about the game,” he said. “You want to be as focused as you can be on what you need to do to play at a high level and put the team in position to win the game. So I definitely have gratitude and appreciation for all the people that helped me throughout the process, but it'll be time to go (Sunday).”

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