“Holy sh*t, we got our guy” - Pat McAfee reacts to Daniel Jones signing with Colts for $14,000,000 over Vikings

The Indianapolis Colts just made things interesting. Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones is finalizing a one-year, $14 million deal with Indianapolis, choosing to battle it out with former first-round pick Anthony Richardson instead of staying in Minnesota.

Pat McAfee didn’t hold back his excitement. He declared, reacting to the move on X:

“Holy sh*t, we got our guy,”

Jones had options, and the Vikings were in play. But with Sam Darnold likely heading elsewhere (Pittsburgh Steelers? Seattle Seahawks?), Minnesota still has J.J. McCarthy in the mix. Jones could have been their veteran bridge. Instead, he’s heading to Indianapolis.

Jones' journey has been a wild one. He started 10 games for the New York Giants in 2024 before being benched and later cut at his own request. He landed on the Vikings' practice squad but never saw action as Sam Darnold had a pretty healthy and dominant season. Now, he’s set to compete for the Colts' QB2 role.

His 2024 stats are far from impressive: 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 63% completion rate. Injuries limited him to just six games in 2023. However, let’s not forget 2022, when he threw for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions—when he led the Giants to a playoff victory against the Vikings.

Vikings' QB dilemma: With Daniel Jones gone, who backs up J.J. McCarthy?

The Vikings’ QB room just got smaller and the options aren’t great.

With Daniel Jones choosing the Colts over Minnesota, the Vikings are now scrambling for a backup to J.J. McCarthy. They already lost Sam Darnold (expected to sign elsewhere) and Nick Mullens, leaving them with no clear veteran presence behind their rookie starter.

Jones was supposed to be that guy. Minnesota added him to the practice squad last season, hoping he’d eventually be McCarthy’s mentor and insurance policy. With 70 career starts and credentials as a former top-10 pick, he seemed like an ideal fit. But now, he’s gone.

The Vikings' choices? Either bring in another veteran late in free agency or roll with an unproven option. Neither is ideal.

Now, Minnesota has to pivot fast. Losing out on Daniel Jones, Darnold, and Mullens is a frustrating miss. And unless they find a solid QB2 soon, they’re taking a major gamble on their rookie starter.