When the Indianapolis Colts announced the signing of quarterback Daniel Jones on X in March, they captioned their post simply: “INDIANA JONES.”
That planted the seeds of a new nickname that has taken the NFL by storm, with references to Jones as the fictional hero professor and archaeologist receiving near universal acclaim. Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby said it “might be the best nickname around right now.”
While appearing on the “ManningCast” in Week 3, Peyton Manning asked Jones if the real reason he signed with the Colts was because it gave him the opportunity for a nickname upgrade. Jones was known as “Danny Dimes” while with the New York Giants.
“An upgrade, huh? A nickname upgrade,” Jones said, laughing. “I didn’t factor that in. But, you know, I’d say it’s probably an upgrade. Yeah, it’s always a nickname … There’s a nickname now everywhere.”
Jones told Kay Adams that he watched a bunch of Indiana Jones movies back in the day, but it’s been a while since he’s seen one. Whether he is truly “Indiana Jones” or not, his play on the field has sparked a 3-1 start for the Colts.
Heading into Week 5, the quarterback’s 79.7 total QBR leads the league. Over the previous two seasons, he ranked 29th out of 33 qualified quarterbacks in QBR, according to ESPN Research. Jones has thrown for 1,078 yards, the third most in the NFL.
He was also the only player in the last 90 years with three passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns and zero turnovers in his team’s first three games. However, Jones threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass in the Colts’ 27-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4.
Indianapolis’ offense has thrived under Jones. The Colts are averaging a league-high 6.5 yards per play plus 30.8 points per game, their most points through four games since 2014. They also punted the ball only once in the first three weeks, giving them the fewest by any team over its first three games of an NFL season since at least 1940.
Whether or not Jones can sustain this resurgence remains up for debate. Indianapolis hosts the Raiders on Sunday — a familiar quest for the man nicknamed after the star of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
