Exclusive Interview With Brandon Stockley

Key Takeaways from Brandon Stokley

• Daniel Jones’ injury was the turning point for the Colts
  “Losing Daniel Jones was a big loss. He was playing so good.”
• Daniel Jones must be Indianapolis’ top offseason priority going forward
  “You’ve got to invest in Daniel Jones. You’ve got to get that done.”
• Stokley is skeptical Anthony Richardson is the long-term answer
  “Anthony Richardson doesn’t seem like he’s going to be the guy.”
• In the NFL, razor-thin margins can even get your coach fired
  “It’s razor thin in the NFL between being successful and making the playoffs, and all of a sudden getting your coach fired.”
• The Ravens have no real alternative but to commit to Lamar Jackson
  “You have no other options. Who are you going to turn to?”
• John Harbaugh could have a major cultural impact with the Giants
  “It takes a coach who’s won big before to come in and show people how to do things the right way.”

The NFL is a league of fine margins, where a single injury or missed kick can change the trajectory of an entire season. Few understand that reality better than former Super Bowl champion Brandon Stokley.

Stokley sat down with VegasInsider to break down the Colts’ late-season collapse, John Harbaugh’s exit in Baltimore, what the future holds for Lamar Jackson, and how Harbaugh could reshape the Giants with young talent like Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo.

(This Q&A has been edited solely for clarity. No quotes have been shortened or removed.)

Stokley on the Colts’ Midseason Collapse

Q: The Colts started 8–2 but finished 8–9 and missed the playoffs. Why do you think that swing happened?

Stokley: Losing Daniel Jones was a big loss. He was playing so good.

You lose your quarterback, you lose a couple tight games, and it happens quickly in the NFL. Winning and losing is such a fine margin.

They were making all the plays when they were 8–2, and then all of a sudden you look up and you’re not making the plays. Maybe you miss a field goal. The other team gets the call at the end of the game that you got earlier in the season.

But losing Daniel Jones was such a huge loss. Jonathan Taylor is an unbelievable running back, but Daniel Jones is such a big factor in their run game.

He can make plays off schedule when things break down, and it helps their run game and their passing game.

When you lose a guy who was having the year he was having, it’s tough to figure it out.

And obviously they went to Philip Rivers, and that didn’t turn out too good. It wasn’t Rivers’ fault, but he can’t move anymore and he can’t throw the ball very far.

That was a shame for Daniel Jones because they were playing great football. He found a new team, the right situation, and he was having a great year.

Stokley on What the Colts Need to Change

Q: What do the Colts need to change first after missing the playoffs again?

Stokley: I like Shane Steichen. I think he’s done a good job there.

But you’ve got to stay healthy and you’ve got to have your quarterback. They haven’t had that.

I’m sure they’re going to try to re-sign Daniel Jones since he signed a one-year deal. You’ve got to get that done.

Anthony Richardson doesn’t seem like he’s going to be the guy.

So you’ve got to invest in Daniel Jones. If you’re Shane Steichen and the general manager, you’ve got to keep your fingers crossed that he stays healthy because you’re running out of time if it doesn’t work out.

They have some nice pieces around him, and it showed at the start of the season. They do have a good football team.

Stokley on John Harbaugh’s Exit in Baltimore

Q: The Ravens’ season didn’t go as expected and John Harbaugh was let go. What were the biggest factors that derailed everything?

Stokley: They lost a lot of close games.

It felt like they got on a roll towards the end of the season and then they just couldn’t beat Pittsburgh.

They lost to Pittsburgh at home and still had a chance in the last game of the season, but they couldn’t do it. They missed a field goal to win.

It’s razor thin in the NFL between being successful and making the playoffs, and all of a sudden getting your coach fired.

John Harbaugh has been there for so long and he’s done a great job. I played for him in 2013. He’s a great football coach.

Sometimes things run their course. You need a new voice.

Baltimore has had Lamar Jackson for a while, and you want to see if something can spark that team to take the next step. They haven’t been able to take that next step.

Stokley on Lamar Jackson’s Future

Q: Is doubling down on Lamar Jackson the right long-term strategy for the Ravens?

Stokley: You have no other options. Who are you going to turn to? It’s hard to find good quarterbacks in the NFL.

So if you don’t have another option, you’ve got to stick with Lamar Jackson and hope he can stay healthy.

Tyler Huntley came in and played well when Lamar Jackson was banged up, but Lamar missing time didn’t help their season.

With mobile quarterbacks, when they get close to 30, injuries happen and they can fall off.

You saw Lamar Jackson not running the ball as much as he did earlier in his career.

It’ll be interesting to see what the next coach does and what offense they put around Lamar Jackson moving forward.

Stokley on John Harbaugh’s Impact With the Giants

Q: What kind of influence can John Harbaugh have on the Giants, especially with young stars like Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo?

Stokley: It’s huge. You’ve got to have players to win, but we’ve seen what coaches can do.

You saw Liam Coen in Jacksonville and Trevor Lawrence looked like the No. 1 overall pick again.

You look at Ben Johnson in Chicago and what a year they had.

Then Sean Payton in Denver, and three years later they’re in the AFC Championship game.

A coach is huge. You’ve got to change the culture and the mindset when you’ve been losing for so long.

It takes a coach like John Harbaugh who’s won big before to come in and show people how to do things the right way, with the right guys, and re-establish a new culture.

Stokley on Developing Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo

Q: What makes John Harbaugh the right coach to build confidence and get the best out of Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo?

Stokley: He’s a great coach and he believes in his players.

You look at his brother Jim Harbaugh and how he’s going about it with Justin Herbert. They’re fun to watch.

John Harbaugh is going to get the most out of his players and put them in the best possible situation to be successful.

The first message to Jaxson Dart is: you’ve got to start sliding. You can’t be taking all these hits. This isn’t the little leagues. This is big boy football.

For you to be successful in the NFL, you have to be available. You have to stay healthy.

Cam Skattebo is a running back, so he’s going to be Cam Skattebo. He’s going to keep putting his head down and playing that old-school throwback style.

It’ll be fun to watch him get healthy and pair with Jaxson Dart in his second year with a great coach like John Harbaugh.

The Super Bowl picture is still taking shape, and the market hasn’t settled yet. If you’re curious how things look right now, you can check the latest Super Bowl odds. And for anyone planning to place a wager, our Bet365 bonus code is available.