Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, throwing to wide receiver Alec Pierce, was statistically among the NFL's most efficient connections in 2025.
The Indianapolis Colts are putting significant stock in the connection between quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce.
Both players performed at arguably the highest levels of their careers in 2025, leading to new contracts from the team in the offseason: Jones for two years and $88 million (up to $100 million), and Pierce for four years and $114 million (up to $116 million).
Jones and Pierce set numerous career-best marks, but their impact was actually felt league-wide as well. Pro Football Focus recently pulled data to determine the top pass-catching duos in the NFL, and Jones and Pierce ranked seventh out of the top 10.
"This study looks at that relationship directly, examining every quarterback-receiver target (in 2025) through the lens of PFF grading and expected points added (EPA) per play," wrote Mark Chichester of PFF.
Jones and Pierce connected on 35-of-60 targets (58.3%) for 715 yards (20.4 avg.) and two touchdowns, for an EPA/play of 0.60 and a positive play partnership (PPP) of 45.0%. Among the top 10 combos in EPA/play, Jones-to-Pierce ranked second in PPP.
Even more impressive is that the pair reached this mark despite Pierce missing two games (concussion) early in the season and Jones missing four (Achilles) at the end.
Pierce led the NFL in yards per reception for the second consecutive season: 22.3 in 2024 and 21.3 in 2025. Ultimately, in 15 games (four without Jones), Pierce caught 47-of-84 targets (55.9%) for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. He set new career bests in receptions, targets, receiving yards, and receiving first downs (41).
With both inking new deals with the Colts, they're eager to build on what they started in 2025.
"Yeah, it was important because I believe in what we have going on here," Pierce said about the importance of Jones re-signing as well. "I believe in our team. I believe in the players we have in place. I think last year in the beginning season – just that first half of the season – I think we truly had something special going. And I know we didn't finish the way we want to finish, but I think I'm able to look back to that and look at how we were playing, and know we can be the best team in the NFL."
Pierce will be taking on a much more significant role in the passing game with the trade-away of Michael Pittman Jr. He's never finished higher than third on the team in targets and was fourth last year despite a new career-high. Pierce averages 74 targets per season for his career, but he'll be stepping into a role in which Pittman averaged 130 between 2021-25.
Jones is confident that Pierce will be able to step up to the challenge.
"I think he's capable and has the skill set to do that," Jones said. "I think last year he did a lot of that. He was obviously down the field making plays like he has his whole career, and then made a lot of plays in the intermediate game on crossers and in-cuts and deep outs and stuff like that, and he'll continue to do that for us. And I think continuing to feature him, I think he's capable of all of it. There's nothing he can't do from a route receiver standpoint, so it's our job to get him the ball."
