Colts' Anthony Richardson Sr. Gets Candid on Injury, QB Competition

Another year, another training camp with questions surrounding the quarterback position for the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts kicked off training camp at Grand Park Sports Complex on Wednesday, thus beginning the competition between Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones for the team's starting quarterback spot.

For Richardson, it is his second competition to be the lead signal-caller in three years. The first came during his rookie campaign, after the Colts selected him with the No.4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Richardson wrapped up the competition and was named the starter halfway through camp that year.

However, an inability to stay healthy and issues with accuracy and consistency on the field have brought into question whether Richardson is the right player for the job. His health was put into question again this spring when Richardson experienced soreness in his throwing shoulder – the same shoulder that was surgically repaired in 2023 – and had to be shut down for the rest of the offseason program.

Almost seven weeks later, Richardson's shoulder is healthy and ready to go. General manager Chris Ballard said on Tuesday that Richardson would have minimal restrictions as training camp got underway. Richardson expressed how much it meant for him to be healthy and ready to go.

"Feels good, man," Richardson remarked about being available at the start of camp. "When they told me I couldn't throw for a few weeks, (it) definitely hit me hard because we were just getting in the groove, just getting started. I feel like I was making progress, getting ready to work with the team. But just being out here Day 1, you know, it's always exciting knocking off the rust and just being out there having fun with the guys."

Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) and Daniel Jones (17) pass during the first day of training camp. — Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) and Daniel Jones (17) pass Wednesday, July 23, 2025, during the first day of training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite not being able to participate in the majority of OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Richardson did whatever he could to continue improving himself and the team. He took all of the mental reps possible during the remaining spring practices and remained detailed in the meeting rooms. Staying engaged even when you cannot be on the field is an aspect of playing quarterback in the NFL that Richardson has learned over the years.

"Just make sure I'm doing what I could do just to help the team in any way," Richardson said. "In the meeting rooms, I was trying to master the offense even more. "Riley (Leonard) was asking me questions, trying to help him out a little bit. Just being around and helping the team in any way possible. Even if I couldn't be on the field, I could do other things. Lead a certain way and just be present."

Rest was prescribed to alleviate the soreness Richardson was experiencing in his shoulder, and no further procedure is expected. Richardson resumed throwing three weeks ago with his personal trainers down in Florida, continuing to focus on the areas that plagued him the most a season ago.

"When it came to throwing again, I wasn't necessarily worried about pushing the ball down the field because I'm pretty sure everybody knows I can do that," Richardson explained. "The biggest thing for me was just the intermediate, short routes, being able to complete those whenever I can because I feel like that will help our offense progress and that'll help us move the ball more.

"I was really working on that, working on my footwork, trying to make sure I'm calm and I'm just ready to deliver the ball wherever it needs to be."

Richardson also revealed he dropped some weight in the offseason and is around 240 pounds, 10-15 pounds lighter than he was a season ago. The hope for Richardson is that by dropping to his college playing weight, he can be faster and more flexible. Adjustments to his diet and sleep schedule have also been made in an effort to stay healthy and available.

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While some may attribute Richardson's focus and the changes he has made to the quarterback competition, Richardson insists that the plan would have remained the same regardless. Richardson has acknowledged that last year was not good enough, and the preparation for the coming season needs to be focused on improving in any way he can.

"I think it's the same every year," Richardson admitted. "Prepare, make sure I'm at the best of my possible self for this team. The same thing going back to my rookie year when I was competing with Gardner (Minshew) for the starting job. Just learning the offense, mastering the offense, and just being available for the team. I think that's the main thing."

Richardson hopes the work he put in during the spring and summer months will give him an edge. The third-year quarterback must improve on a league-worst 47.7 completion percentage a year ago. Richardson also missed six games last season and needs to prove he can remain healthy. The Colts have preached all offseason that they want consistency at the quarterback position, both in performance and availability.

Head coach Shane Steichen likes where Richardson is at heading into what is undoubtedly a crucial training camp for all parties.

"He did a great job over the summer. Physically and mentally, he feels really good," Steichen said about Richardson. "So that was a good sign, obviously. To have him out here Day 1 is huge for us. ... He's been phenomenal. Mentally, all those things, the conversations that me and him have had, he's been really good with the whole situation."

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) passes the ball. — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) passes the ball Wednesday, July 23, 2025, during the first day of training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It did not take long for Richardson to win the starting job as a rookie. This time, the competition is expected to take a little longer. The Colts want to give Richardson and Jones every opportunity to prove they can win the job, as no timeline has been set for when a starter will be named.

Richardson looked a little rusty in his first practice, going 4-of-11 (36.4%) in 11-on-11 sessions with three drops by his receivers. Jones also failed to impress on Day 1, going 7-of-8 (87.5%) with a late throw resulting in an interception.

However, most of the Colts' offense had a sloppy first day as they worked back into the swing of things. What the Colts want to see is gradual improvement from Richardson, Jones, and the rest of the offense throughout training camp.

Whichever quarterback is able to show the most improvement, along with being consistent in every facet, will ultimately win the starting job. All of the talk will center on Richardson vs. Jones over the next month and change. But Richardson is only focused on being the best version of himself.

"When it comes to competition, of course I'm competing with Daniel, but I'm also competing with myself," Richardson said. "Trying to be a better version of myself than I was last year. There were definitely things I could have worked on last year, so I'm trying to improve on that and make sure I'm just available for the team whenever they need me."

If Richardson can become the best version of himself, it will likely be the best possible outcome for the Colts' quarterback battle.

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