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Colts' Situation with Anthony Richardson Sr. More Complex Than Ever

It's uncertain what the Indianapolis Colts will do at QB, and Anthony Richardson Sr. might not be part of the plan.
Drake Wally|
Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson, pictured here in 2023, suffered a fractured orbital bone last month after a bizarre pre-game accident with resistance bands in the Colts locker room.
Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson, pictured here in 2023, suffered a fractured orbital bone last month after a bizarre pre-game accident with resistance bands in the Colts locker room. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Indianapolis Colts

As far as the QB story for the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, it's been all about two names: Daniel Jones and Philip Rivers.

However, the Colts still have their 2023 fourth-overall draft investment, Anthony Richardson Sr., on the roster. Injuries, underwhelming performances, and uncertainty have marked his career.

Today, head coach Shane Steichen exclaimed that he hopes the best for Richardson's situation in the league, and potentially, with Indianapolis.

Chris Wildlic of CBS 4 Indy had the post on X. Steichen said of Richardson, "Praying he comes back... over time hopefully he'll get better... he's a talented player. Spirits are up."

Talk about a statement from a head coach that clearly doesn't definitively believe Richardson can be the answer at signal-caller.

The situation with Richardson's future with the Colts is foggy and murky without any real indication that he'll ever play with Indianapolis again.

Richardson's rookie year saw the athletic field general play just four games, but he displayed serious promise in that limited sample size.

Richardson threw for 577 passing yards on 50 out of 84 completions for three passing touchdowns and just a single interception.

As for his rushing, he compiled 136 rushing yards on 25 attempts, scoring four times with his feet to keep defenses on their toes.

But the 2024 season saw a complete collapse from Richardson. He dipped to a 47.7 completion percentage and 12 picks to eight touchdown tosses.

Richardson did keep his rushing ability strong with 499 rushing yards on 86 attempts for six more touchdowns on the ground.

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Richardson's wild accuracy and propensity to turn the football over in year two was a concern, but he was still in the infancy of his NFL career.

It's not the passing problems or lack pure quarterbacking that are the biggest issues with Richardson, it's the injuries that kept him to just 15 out of 34 possible starts in his first two years.

Indianapolis' offense is littered with talent that can help him. Players like running back Jonathan Taylor, the bevy of pass-catchers that include Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren, plus the offensive line produces a vision that he can make it happen in 2026.

The saddest part is that it looks like the Colts have all but given up on Richardson's development, and it could point to Indianapolis re-signing Jones for the long term despite a season-ending Achilles injury.

The Colts realistically have two options for their next quarterback venture: re-sign Jones and take the risk that he'll recover from his Achilles setback, or give the keys to Richardson in year four with the hope that he blossoms.

Given that the Colts have no first-rounders in 2026 or 2027, and the wasteland of to-be free agent quarterbacks, there aren't many other options than Jones or Richardson for Indy to turn to.

Richardson's 2025 has been, once again, derailed by injuries, this time with a fractured orbital bone from a freak accident involving a resistance band.

We'll see how the Colts approach the situation with Richardson next year. If Jones is allowed to walk in free agency, it's a clear indication that the franchise wants to see what he can do one last time.

However, if the Colts get Jones a team-friendly deal, all signs point to Richardson finding a new team after 2026. Or, even more impactful, him and his agent Deiric Jackson, will request a trade.

If that happens, Richardson's time with the Colts might go down as one of the most disappointing for a top-10 QB selection with a team in recent memory.

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Drake Wally
DRAKE WALLY

Drake Wally is a co-deputy editor of Indianapolis Colts on SI. His works have also appeared on Bleacher Report, MSN, Yahoo, and SBNation. He also co-hosts the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast.

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