Colts' Shane Steichen Details Anthony Richardson's Offseason Strides

When Shane Steichen spoke earlier this offseason at the league meetings, the Indianapolis Colts head coach could hardly contain his excitement when talking about his young quarterback.

Anthony Richardson was progressing well in his recovery from shoulder surgery. Richardson had begun throwing and was taking the necessary steps to return to the field. It was easy to see why Steichen was excited about what was in store for his QB1.

At that point, everything was speculative. Richardson was in the beginning phases of getting back on the field and had yet to ramp up the throwing phase of his rehab. Steichen and the Colts would not truly know if Richardson could return until they saw it on the field for themselves.

A few months later and the Colts are amid OTAs, preparing for the 2024 season. Richardson has been present throughout the Colts' offseason program, allowing the coaching staff an up-close look at his progress. So, how does Steichen feel about what Richardson has shown so far?

“I think with any player you have a little rust every once in a while," Steichen explained. "But he’s been pretty smooth out there so far – completing a lot of balls, completion percentage has been good, knowing where to go with the football, which is a good sign. But I like where he’s at right now big time.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) passes the ball for a 2-pt conversion during game action against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Indianapolis. | Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The physical parts of Richardson's game were obviously essential for the Colts' coaches to see. Richardson needed to prove that the shoulder was back to normal and he could throw without any limitations. He has passed all of those tests with flying colors.

“He’s been on it fundamentally wise," Steichen admitted. "He’s a compact guy type, really good feet, quick feet, which is really good to see. But the arm motion looks good, looks real good out there. So, no concerns there.”

But Steichen also wanted to see how Richardson had progressed with the mental aspect of playing quarterback. Richardson played only 173 snaps during his rookie season before suffering the shoulder injury. 173 snaps is not much live game time to acclimate to the much faster NFL game.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Although Richardson could not be on the field, he continued to meet with Steichen throughout the season and was heavily involved in the day-to-day of the quarterback room. Steichen also gave Richardson special projects throughout the year to strengthen his understanding of the offense and NFL defenses. Richardson is now applying that to his play on the field, and he continues to improve his game.

“Just accelerated vision stuff," Steichen remarked when asked what he had seen from Richardson. "Mechanics are obviously part of it, but I think just accelerated vision, knowing where to go with the football and when to go with the football. Going through your reads, different coverages can dictate where that ball gets thrown. He does a good job with that, knowing where to go with the ball. So keep doing that, and at a high level.”

Richardson may not have had a full season playing in the NFL, but it has been over a year since the Colts drafted him with the No.4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has adjusted to life in the pros and has embraced the life of a starting quarterback in the NFL. Steichen believes Richardson still gained valuable experience throughout his rookie campaign that will help spring the quarterback forward this season.

“I think with anything, you are a year into it, being around the guys – it could be football in the classroom along with just around the building," Steichen said. "Seeing how it’s done your first year, you know how everyone operates, you know how to go about your business, you know how to be a pro. So, I think all those little details that go into it – not being a rookie, he’s shown that so far.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, during a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston. | Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY

With the shoulder injury behind Richardson, he can focus solely on football and improving his game on the field. Richardson will continue to stack up valuable reps against the Colts' starting defense throughout the rest of the offseason program and training camp as he applies his work done in the classroom over the last seven months to the field. He will also work with his teammates again in an on-field setting, an underrated part of the process leading up to the season.

Richardson has been working with Jonathan Taylor throughout the offseason program to ensure their timing in the backfield is correct. The throwing sessions with Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce have been prevalent to reestablish the chemistry Richardson was building with his receivers before the injury. Adonai Mitchell, the Colts' second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is now in the fold and developing a connection with his new quarterback.

All of the work Richardson is doing contributes to establishing a routine for the young quarterback. Steichen feels the quicker Richardson finds the routine that works best for him, the sooner we will see strides on the field.

“I think after your rookie year you kind of find a rhythm," Steichen remarked. "What is your routine going into the offseason? Now that you’ve got a full offseason, what’s your routine going to be? What are your study habits in the offseason going into Year Two?

"He’s done a great job with that coming in early, getting his treatment, watching tape, going through that process after film. He’s in the weight room right now taking care of his body. I just saw him in there. So, that routine is big going into Year Two, that offseason routine. But yeah, excited for him.”

We all saw Richardson's immense potential last season, albeit in a short sample size. The biggest question mark surrounding Richardson this spring was how he would look once the shoulder healed. With the Colts' offseason program nearing an end, that question no longer remains.

Now, the only question left unanswered is how far Richardson can take the Colts this season. We're about to find out.

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.