Anthony Richardson Offers Frank Quote in First Response to Losing Colts' QB Battle

'They feel like he's a better fit for the team.'

Anthony Richardson will start the season backing up Daniel Jones, the Colts decided on Tuesday. / Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colts made a decision on who will start at quarterback for the 2025 season on Tuesday, with head coach Shane Steichen announcing Daniel Jones won the training camp quarterback competition over Anthony Richardson. It is a surprising decision. While neither QB played particularly well in the preseason, Jones is a journeyman playing on a one-year contract while Richardson was picked fourth overall in the 2023 NFL draft by Indianapolis. Nevertheless, the decision has been made— the veteran Jones gets the starting nod.

A few hours after the news became official Richardson spoke to the media and offered a frank quote on how it felt to lose out on the starting job.

"You gotta respect the decision," Richardson said to a scrum of reporters. They feel like he's a better fit for the team, a better fit for the outcome of us winning. You just gotta respect it and keep working. It doesn't undermine any of the other work I've been putting in, it doesn't say that I haven't improved. I'm proud of the improvement I've made."

Anthony Richardson on losing the quarterback battle: pic.twitter.com/6lpfRNkie8

— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) August 19, 2025

It's all Richardson can say, really. As was the case last year when he was benched in favor of Joe Flacco, the coaching staff made their decision. The third-year QB just has to take it on the chin and work to get better. Complicating matters is that Richardson has always been overflowing with talent but for reasons fans can see and otherwise has not been able to put it all together yet.

Perhaps now will be the time for him to do so, watching from the sidelines as Jones runs the offense. Richardson seems to be adopting that attitude, at least.

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