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Colts' Anthony Richardson Sr. to Make Long-Awaited Return to Practice

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. is returning to practice for the first time since October.
John Davis|
Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) warms up prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) warms up prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

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Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are opening the 21-day practice window for quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. as he continues to work his way back from a fractured orbital bone.

The third-year quarterback was taken to an emergency room via ambulance on Oct. 12 after an equipment malfunction prior to the team's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Head coach Shane Steichen clarified that Richardson still has vision limitations, but the injury itself has healed enough to warrant a return to practice.

Steichen also added that Richardson won't yet be available for Monday night's home game against the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Riley Leonard will remain the backup.

Richardson was seen at practice this past week leading up to the team's game in Seattle, chatting with newly signed quarterback Philip Rivers and getting in some mental reps.

The former fourth overall pick has not started a game this season after quarterback Daniel Jones was given the starting nod during training camp.

The team signed Jones to a one-year, $14 million deal in March to engage in an open competition with Richardson for the role.

In his rookie campaign in 2023, Richardson was named the team's starter after just one preseason game. At 21 years and 111 days at week one, he became the fifth youngest quarterback to start a game in NFL history.

His rookie campaign was cut short when he suffered a separated AC joint in his throwing shoulder in a week five matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Richardson finished his rookie season with seven touchdowns to just two turnovers across four starts. In two of those four games, he exited with injury before halftime.

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General manager Chris Ballard later expressed regret for starting the 21-year-old in his rookie year, a move that was pushed for by the team's late owner Jim Irsay, per James Boyd of The Athletic.

“He didn’t have enough experience, both from a play standpoint but also a professional standpoint of how to get ready," said Ballard.

Fast forward to 2024, Richardson entered the season as the uncontested starter. Just four games in, he would suffer another injury, this time knocking him out for the team's following three contests.

Following a 23-20 divisional road loss to the Houston Texans, Richardson was benched for 39-year-old backup Joe Flacco.

Flacco would get just two starts, both losses, before the team turned back to Richardson to finish out the season.

In his first game back, Richardson posted three total touchdowns and 300 yards from scrimmage on the road against the New York Jets, also adding a game-winning drive in the process.

His 66.7% completion percentage on the day flashed improvement in his areas of most concern. For comparison, he posted a 31.3% completion percentage in his final start before being benched.

Richardson would last five games, winning three, before yet another injury held him out of the team's final two games of the season.

After two seasons, Richardson had made just 15 starts across a possible 34 games. He had finished only 11 games without injury.

This season, Richardson has seen minor game action once games had already been decided late. In the team's 40-6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the now 23-year-old quarterback got snaps in the fourth quarter, notching his first career reception in the process (on a caught deflection of his own pass).

When Jones went down for the year after an Achilles injury in Week 14, the team was once again unable to call on Richardson due to injury.

Indianapolis signed 44-year-old quarterback Rivers, bringing him out of a five-year retirement, to start immediately against the then 10-3 Seattle Seahawks.

The Colts have now seemingly shifted their end-of-season focus to Rivers, who will start this upcoming Monday night against the 49ers, whom are 10-4.

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John Davis
JOHN DAVIS

John Davis covers the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts. He's currently pursuing a degree in Sports Media at the University of South Carolina. John also founded and operates Colts Report on Instagram, a big Colts Fan Page.

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