Don't Expect Daniel Jones to be This Year's Sam Darnold

The best thing to ever happen to Sam Darnold was getting out of New York. He was able to catch his breath and refocus away from the spotlight and the expectations. Leaving behind a dysfunctional franchise helped, too.

In a better place, he reminded everyone that he still has talent. He revived his NFL career.

Don’t expect history to repeat itself this year with Daniel Jones.

It’s not that Jones, the former and failed franchise quarterback of the Giants, can’t resurrect his own career in Indianapolis this season. He clearly has a chance after officially beating out Anthony Richardson for the Indianapolis Colts' starting job. It’s just that despite all the obvious similarities of a failed New York savior getting a second chance in the heartland, the road to redemption for him isn’t the same as it was for Darnold in Minnesota.

Darnold, who first had pit stops in Carolina and San Francisco, ultimately landed in an ideal situation. Jones most definitely did not.

"From what I’ve seen of (Jones), he needs a perfect situation around him to have success," an NFL assistant coach told Fox Sports. "Give him a strong line, put him in the right scheme, put some talent around him and sure, you can win with him.

"But (Indianapolis) isn’t Minnesota. It’s just not the same."

Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 07, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

No, it’s not. Darnold stumbled into a QB nirvana last year in Minnesota after rookie J.J. McCarthy was lost for the season with a knee injury, forcing Darnold into the starting role. He was on a strong team loaded with offensive talent, with no