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2025NFLWeek 15

True Story: Daniel Jones Used A 3D Printed Pad That His Buddies Made To Protect His Leg While Playing With Broken Fibula

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Daniel Jones Used a 3D Printed Pad That His Buddies Made To Protect His Leg While Playing With Broken Fibula
Daniel Jones with custom printed 3D pads (Photo Via Imagn Images)

Daniel Jones tried to push through one injury after another this season. To keep playing with a fractured left fibula, he used a special 3D-printed pad made by two of his old Duke teammates. They had helped him the same way in college, and their custom pad protected his leg for weeks while he took hit after hit. But on Sunday, even with the pad on, things finally fell apart.

Jones tore his right Achilles in the loss to Jacksonville, and Colts coach Shane Steichen said Monday that Jones will miss the rest of the season. “Obviously, just really feel for him. Just an unfortunate situation,” Steichen said. Jones will have surgery this week.

Entrepreneur Joe Pompliano shared the backstory behind Jones’ leg protection.

He said on X, “Two of his Duke teammates made him a 3D-printed pad that enabled him to play just 3 weeks later. After graduation, these guys then turned it into a legitimate business (called Protect3D). They won $50,000 from the NFL’s innovation competition and have even secured a contract with the DoD for military-grade wearables.”

When Jones broke his fibula this season, he contacted them again. They built another tight, custom pad that eased his pain and didn’t affect his performance on the field.

A Tough Time For The Colts After Missing Out On Jones

Daniel Jones after the injury (Photo Via X)

Jones was playing well for the Colts before he tore his Achilles. In 13 games, he threw for 3,101 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also ran for five touchdowns and helped keep the Colts in the playoff hunt. His 68% completion rate tied Philip Rivers for the second-best mark in team history, just behind Peyton Manning.

Now the Colts are in a tough spot. Anthony Richardson Sr. is still on injured reserve with an orbital fracture and won’t be back this week. Rookie Riley Leonard is the next choice, but he injured his right knee in the Jacksonville game, so it’s unclear if he can play. Brett Rypien is the only fully healthy quarterback on the roster.

The Colts opened the season 7-1 and even traded for star corner Sauce Gardner because they believed Jones could take them deep into the playoffs. With him out, things look much harder. Their playoff chances are down to 30 percent, and the AFC South title seems unlikely.

Jones’ future is uncertain too. He was on a one-year deal, and another serious injury raises questions about where he’ll play in 2026. For now, the Colts just hope to stay competitive while Jones begins another long recovery.

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