Colts quarterbacks coach Cam Turner on Wednesday echoed plenty of what head coach Shane Steichen said Tuesday was the determining factor in naming Daniel Jones as his team's starting quarterback.
"The consistency is a big thing that shows up," Turner said. "And just his approach, his operation at the line, consistent accuracy and overall decision-making — he did a good job all throughout camp."
The Colts were pleased with that competition between Jones and Anthony Richardson Sr., believing it brought out the best in both quarterbacks. While Steichen and Turner both saw Richardson make strides during training camp, it was Jones' consistency – which Turner pointed to as a product of his six years in the NFL – that wound up being a key deciding factor.
"He definitely has years (of) experience, time on task ahead of Anthony — throughout college, throughout the NFL and the little things he's seen, he's adjusted to, he's already executed," Turner said. "Anthony has not at this point with only a few years of reps in games. Anthony's made huge strides since he's been here in practice and throughout games, and you see it, you see the development and improvement. I do think he'll get there. I think he'll keep continuing to develop and learn from Daniel."
While the Colts are moving forward with Jones as their QB1, they've been clear – from general manager Chris Ballard to assistant general manager Ed Dodds to Steichen – that 2025 is not a make-or-break year for the 23-year-old Richardson. Turner said Richardson has been "locked in and in a good place mentally" over the last few days after learning of Steichen's decision, and Richardson on Tuesday handled the situation with grace and professionalism.
"The plan for him is to continue to develop," Turner said. "He still has a job, a role, a responsibility, which is our backup quarterback, and he has to be prepared to do that. And then my job is to help develop him and continue to grow, because he is so young. We don't want to give up on him. We want to keep growing, continuing to learn and develop as a quarterback.
"... He's missed a lot of snaps with injuries — offseason, in-season. You say three years, but really it's going into Year 3 and with a lot of missed reps. I do want to point out the growth he's had at the line and the presence and just taking the next step mentally as far as next level thinking."
The Colts may need Richardson at some point this season. But moving forward, it'll be Jones behind center, and Turner – like Steichen and the rest of the Colts – is confident the 28-year-old veteran can continue to make the most of his opportunity.
"Daniel's done a great job," Turner said. "He's come in here and done exactly what we've asked him to do, and he's been consistent."
Check out the best photos from Wednesday's Training Camp practice at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
CB B.J. Mayes #36
CB Charvarius Ward #7
CB Kenny Moore II #23
CB Alex Johnson #39
CB JuJu Brents #29
RB DJ Giddens #21
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
CB B.J. Mayes #36
RB Khalil Herbert #26
RB Nate Noel #41
QB Riley Leonard #15
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Tyler Kahmann #43
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
C Wesley French #62 and C Mose Vavao #67
WR Coleman Owen #3
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81
TE Jelani Woods #80
CB JuJu Brents #29
TE Sean McKeon #49
CB Xavien Howard #37
CB Xavien Howard #37
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
CB JuJu Brents #29
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB B.J. Mayes #36
CB Charvarius Ward #7
CB JuJu Brents #29
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Dalton Tucker #68, G Matt Goncalves #71 and T Bernhard Raimann #79
LB Zaire Franklin #44 and CB Charvarius Ward #7
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Charvarius Ward #7
TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Alec Pierce #14 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Alec Pierce #14 and CB Charvarius Ward #7
QB Anthony Richardson #5 and RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
Lou Anarumo Defensive Coordinator, DE Kwity Paye #51 and DE Marcus Haynes #96
K Spencer Shrader #3
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Grover Stewart #90
WR Adonai Mitchell #10 and CB Alex Johnson #39
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14 and CB JuJu Brents #29
LB Zaire Franklin #44
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Landon Parker #8
G Matt Goncalves #71
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
S Rodney Thomas II #25
LB Zaire Franklin #44 and RB DJ Giddens #21
TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Drew Ogletree #85
DE JT Tuimoloau #91
G Quenton Nelson #56 and G Tanor Bortolini #60
G Quenton Nelson #56 and G Tanor Bortolini #60
CB Chris Lammons #38
CB Kenny Moore II #23
DT Tim Smith #93
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
S Trey Washington #41
DE JT Tuimoloau #91
S Trey Washington #41 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
S Camryn Bynum #0, S Trey Washington #41 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
TE Drew Ogletree #85
CB Duke Shelley #34 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
CB Duke Shelley #34 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
CB Jaylon Jones #40
QB Riley Leonard #15
CB Jaylon Jones #40, S Rodney Thomas II #25, S Camryn Bynum #0, S Trey Washington #41 and CB Alex Johnson #39
LB Zaire Franklin #44
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
G Matt Goncalves #71 and QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Coleman Owen #3
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37 and C Wesley French #62
WR Alec Pierce #14
QB Riley Leonard #15
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
WR Alec Pierce #14
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
QB Anthony Richardson #5
G Dalton Tucker #68
QB Anthony Richardson #5
T Jalen Travis #75
TE Jelani Woods #80
S Daniel Scott #36 and TE Jelani Woods #80
TE Drew Ogletree #85
S Daniel Scott #32 and TE Jelani Woods #80
G Josh Sills #65
S Daniel Scott #36 and TE Jelani Woods #80
QB Anthony Richardson #5
TE Drew Ogletree #85
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
S Rodney Thomas II #25
S Camryn Bynum #0 and S Trey Washington #41
S Trey Washington #41 and S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0 and S Trey Washington #41
CB Alex Johnson #39, S Trey Washington #41 and LB Austin Ajiake #58
CB Chris Lammons #38, S Trey Washington #41, LB Austin Ajiake #58 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
S Trey Washington #41
S Trey Washington #41 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
S Trey Washington #41 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
S Trey Washington #41
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and CB Kenny Moore II #23
QB Daniel Jones #17 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
Shane Steichen Head Coach
LB Cameron McGrone #59 and S Camryn Bynum #0
LB Cameron McGrone #59
S Camryn Bynum #0 and LB Cameron McGrone #59
CB Charvarius Ward #7 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
LB Cameron McGrone #59
CB Charvarius Ward #7
DE JT Tuimoloau #91
CB Kenny Moore II #23
LB Zaire Franklin #44
DT Devonta Davis #61
DE Kwity Paye #51
DE Kwity Paye #51
CB Charvarius Ward #7 and G Quenton Nelson #56
QB Anthony Richardson #5
DT Eric Johnson II #98
LB Zaire Franklin #44
DT DeForest Buckner #99
LB Cameron McGrone #59
WR Landon Parker #8
QB Anthony Richardson #5
S Trey Washington #41
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
CB Charvarius Ward #7
CB Charvarius Ward #7
S Camryn Bynum #0
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
S Camryn Bynum #0
QB Anthony Richardson #5
LB Joe Bachie #48
TE Tyler Warren #84
QB Daniel Jones #17
S Camryn Bynum #0, CB Alex Johnson #39 and Brent Jackson Defensive Quality Control
TE Tyler Warren #84
QB Riley Leonard #15
S Rodney Thomas II #25, CB Kenny Moore II #23, S Camryn Bynum #0, CB B.J. Mayes #36 and TE Sean McKeon #49
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Tanor Bortolini #60
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
S Rodney Thomas II #25
TE Tyler Warren #84
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Ajou Ajou #9
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
QB Daniel Jones #17
DE Kwity Paye #51
QB Anthony Richardson #5
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DT Neville Gallimore #92
DT Eric Johnson II #98
S Camryn Bynum #0
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
WR Adonai Mitchell #10 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
CB JuJu Brents #29 and WR Alec Pierce #14
CB JuJu Brents #29 and WR Alec Pierce #14
DE Samson Ebukam #52
CB JuJu Brents #29 and WR Alec Pierce #14
CB JuJu Brents #29 and WR Alec Pierce #14
CB JuJu Brents #29 and WR Alec Pierce #14
CB JuJu Brents #29 and WR Alec Pierce #14
QB Riley Leonard #15
QB Daniel Jones #17
G Quenton Nelson #56
TE Will Mallory #86
S Camryn Bynum #0, S Rodney Thomas II #25 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
TE Will Mallory #86
G Quenton Nelson #56
WR Anthony Gould #6
CB Kenny Moore II #23
RB DJ Giddens #21
RB DJ Giddens #21
Shane Steichen Head Coach
TE Tyler Warren #84 and CB Duke Shelley #34
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
S Camryn Bynum #0, S Rodney Thomas II #25 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
DT Grover Stewart #90
G Quenton Nelson #56
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
DT Josh Tupou #69
LB Zaire Franklin #44
TE Tyler Warren #84
