Anthony Richardson Sr. Could Start for Colts Due to Unfortunate Reality

The Anthony Richardson Sr. experiment is all but dead in the water after three disappointing years with the Indianapolis Colts.

However, there was reason to celebrate for Richardson after taking the backup quarterback position from Riley Leonard ahead of the 2026 season.

#Colts coach Shane Steichen makes clear that former first-rounder Anthony Richardson Sr. will be their backup QB behind Daniel Jones. pic.twitter.com/jQey60bx03
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 3, 2026

From an eagle-eyed point of view, celebrating Indy's former fourth-overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft becoming a backup in his fourth season doesn't sound like something to pop champagne to.

However, many (including myself) believed Leonard would take the QB2 role, especially after his gutsy Week 18 performance last year against the Houston Texans, mixed with Richardson's erratic play through three years with the team.

Ultimately, Leonard looked overwhelmed and inefficient during the preseason, which opened the door for Richardson to win the job.

When it was all said and done, Richardson finished the preseason with 21/33 completions (63.6 percent), 249 passing yards, and a pick. He also added 68 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

This puts him just one play away from getting on the field. Now comes the truth: that could very well happen because of Daniel Jones's overlooked injury history.

Below is a breakdown of Jones' injury history since joining the NFL in 2019.

2019 | High ankle sprain
2020 | Hamstring strain
2021 | Concussion
2022 | Ankle sprain
2023 | Neck, ACL tear
2024 | No injury
2025 | Fractured fibula, Achilles tear

It's not a glamorous piece of analysis, but the truth is that Jones is almost a lock to get injured. Obviously, the hope for Shane Steichen and Indy is that he stays healthy, but history indicates otherwise.

Daniel Jones throws the football during a practice. — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) delivers a pass Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, during practice at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Throughout his seven years in the league, Jones has missed a whopping 27 games. This means Jones averages 3.86 games missed per season due to some sort of injury.

Given this reality of Jones' football health struggles, there is a high probability that Richardson will end up under center at some point.

Obviously, this Colts offense operates more surgically with Jones running the show. Last year, Jones looked better than ever under Steichen, posting a career-best 68.0 completion percentage, 3,101 passing yards, and 24 total touchdowns, with 19 coming through the air.

Jones was cooking in 2025 until he sustained a fractured fibula, which grossly limited his operation from the pocket and all but removed his ability to run the football.

Still, he looked more comfortable than ever during his 13 games with the Colts. But coming back from an Achilles tear is rigorous and difficult. The good news is that Jones didn't look slowed down by that injury during training camp.

This is great news for Indianapolis ahead of a make-or-break 2026 year for Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard. But the track record of Jones can't be ignored, which means Richardson must be ready.

Anthony Richardson Sr. throws the football before a game starts. — Aug 22, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is likely the last year Richardson dons a Colts uniform. He requested a trade in February, and nothing materialized. This simply means that Richardson is looking for a change of scenery.

If he has to get on the gridiron in relief of Jones, it will be to audition for his next team once the season concludes and he hits 2027 free agency.

There's always a chance he gets traded during the season, but Ballard indicated that Richardson will remain with the squad this year.

Chris Ballard said he anticipates Anthony Richardson remaining with the Colts, via @JakeArthurNFL:

"He'll be an Indianapolis Colt this year."
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 1, 2026

As I mentioned before, the hope is that Jones can stay on the field for all 17 games, but he hasn't been able to log a full year to date.

Richardson overcame some small odds by winning the backup QB position. If he gets a chance to see the field, he'll have an opportunity to defy the naysayers, bridge the gap, and play better than in the past if Jones misses time.

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