Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones suffered an Achilles injury in a potentially huge twist to the NFL playoff race during Sunday’s 36-19 defeat against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jones tumbled to the ground following a first-quarter pass to Alec Pierce and clutched at his right leg before angrily crashing his helmet into the turf multiple times.

He was later officially ruled out of the game in what could prove both an abrupt and majorly cruel end to his campaign, during which he has spearheaded the Colts into postseason contention.

In Jones’ absence, Trevor Lawrence threw two touchdown passes and Travis Etienne ran for two scores as the Jaguars beat secured victory over their rivals to move top of the AFC South.

The Jaguars (9-4) won their fourth consecutive game and extended the Colts’ misery in Jacksonville. Indianapolis (8-5) most recently won at EverBank Stadium in 2014, an 11-game skid that includes a matchup in London.

Jones had already been nursing a fractured fibula in his left leg over the past two games, wearing a special protective guard notably designed by his college roommates.

He is in the middle of a career year in the NFL as one of the surprise stories of the season after winning the starting quarterback job over Anthony Richardson during training camp.

Jones, the No 6 overall pick at the 2019 NFL Draft, had been released by the New York Giants midway through the 2024 campaign, before spending the end of the season with the Minnesota Vikings.

Little was expected of the Giants castaway before he starred alongside Jonathan Taylor in leading a 7-1 start to the season as AFC frontrunners.

The Colts, though, had lost three of their last four heading into Sunday’s crucial all-AFC South divisional clash with the Jags.

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