Colts' Anthony Richardson Earns Team Captain Status
A week ahead of the start of the regular season, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced the team's seven captains, and among them is rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Along with Richardson, the players voted on Wednesday for offensive linemen Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, linebackers Shaquille Leonard and Zaire Franklin, and cornerback Kenny Moore II to all be declared captains.
"I think it's big," Steichen said about Richardson being named a captain as a rookie. "It just shows what the team has thought about him. There was no favoritism with these guys. It was their votes and they voted him to be one of the top seven captains. I'm excited for him to get that honor. I think that's a big honor as a rookie. To get that just really speaks volumes about what the team thinks about him.
Since declaring for the NFL Draft last winter, Richardson's physical tools have been well documented, but ever since coming to Indy, it's been his work ethic, determination to improve, and attention to detail that has been raved about by his teammates and coaches.
"He was excited," Steichen said of Richardson's reaction to being named a captain. "I think obviously wearing that C on your chest is a big deal. You've gotta earn that thing every single day. You earn the respect of your teammates wearing that thing. You're a leader on this football team. You've gotta have a high standard every single day through the good and bad on and off the field, it's important."
To earn the title of team captain is a tremendous honor for such a young player, but hearing about how involved Richardson has been off the field and how it's made an impact on his peers, this seemed inevitable.
Richardson now leads the Colts forward next week into their regular-season Week 1 matchup at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10.
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