What Jaguars' Grant Udinski Has Learned From Colts' Daniel Jones

A tale as old as NFL time: a former team's coach facing his former player, something that will be happening on Sunday in Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Indianapolis Colts in a battle for first place in the AFC South. Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski has been a key part of the Jaguars' offense's success, especially in their run game. This weekend, he will be taking on a Colts team whose starting quarterback is quite familiar with him from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings, as Udinski spoke to reporters on Thursday about his former teammate.

Udinski on Daniel Jones

After being let go by the New York Giants in the middle of last season, Daniel Jones was signed by the Minnesota Vikings to finish the season. Udinski, the quarterbacks coach at the time, got to see first-hand what type of player Jones was or had the potential to be. All it came down to was the landing spot, and working with Colts head coach Shane Steichen has been that.

Udinski learned a lot from working with Jones last year, saying it was evident immediately that the former first-round quarterback from Duke had the talent to be a quality starter in the NFL. Again, it came down to who would give him another opportunity, and the Colts came knocking on the door.

Udinski Jags — Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski with quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“I think it was evident pretty immediately," Udinski said. "You talk about a guy who's talented in pretty much all aspects of what you're looking for in a quarterback, where it's mental processing, physical ability, and then the ball coming out of his hands, can make every single throw all over the field. You add on top of that getting to be around him, what an unbelievable person he is."

Udinski continued to praise his former signal-caller, mentioning his standout work ethic and the relationships Jones has built over the years, and this season in Indianapolis. While Udinski admitted he was a little biased in his assessment, it does not surprise him to see the success that Jones has had in a better environment and coaching situation.

"His work ethic, the guy he is in the locker room with the teammates, the camaraderie, the relationships that he builds with the guys," Udinski said. " I don't have enough positive things to say about Daniel Jones, the way he works. So, it's easy for me to say now hindsight. I'm a little bit biased, but no surprise to me at all the type of success he's had."

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