Who Is to Blame? Anthony Richardson Sr. or Colts?

Anthony Richardson Sr.'s failure with the Indianapolis Colts has plenty of blame, but who deserves the most?

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) leaves the field following a game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts defeated the Dolphins 33-8. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts halted the NFL Combine news by giving their former fourth-overall pick, Anthony Richardson Sr., permission to seek a trade.

Breaking: The Colts have given quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. permission to seek a trade, a league source told @HolderStephen. pic.twitter.com/9U18pueTYY

— ESPN (@espn) February 26, 2026

It was a formality after Indianapolis made it clear that they were pursuing a multi-year deal to bring back quarterback Daniel Jones. As for the backup position, it seems the Colts are turning to Riley Leonard for that designation.

This left Richardson on the outside looking in, with no other avenue to take other than a trade to get something out of their QB investment.

Now the only question is who is to blame?

In this article, I'll explain why Richardson deserves some weight, why the Colts deserve a finger point, and ultimately, who should shoulder the most blame after this massive misfire.

We'll start with the man in the center of this news, Richardson.

Why Anthony Richardson Sr. Deserves Blame

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) passes the ball on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Let's get this out of the way: the injuries won't be a factor in Richardson's entry, as he can't control those setbacks.

Having said that, Richardson could control plenty of other factors that resulted in his rough performances that ultimately led to him being allowed to seek a trade.

First, Richardson didn't seem to take his NFL job seriously. To play QB in the pros, it takes immense dedication, work, and drive to succeed.

A professional quarterback is arguably the hardest position to master in all of sports; even the most dedicated to the craft have issues at times playing consistently good football. However, Richardson never gained his footing in the slightest.

Second, Richardson wasn't disciplined enough to understand that you can't tap out of a football game. It might be exhausting to see this brought up again, but it's the first time I've ever seen a player quit in the NFL due to exhaustion.

This, of course, happened during Week 8 of the 2024 season against the Houston Texans. This isn't the worst part; that honor belongs to Richardson's explanation of why he tapped out post game.

Richardson said, "I was tired, I'm not going to lie. That was a lot of running right there, that I did. I didn't think I was going to be able to do that next play, so, I just told Shane (Steichen) that I needed a break right there."

Watch: #Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson explains why he subbed out of the game in the third quarter pic.twitter.com/1aHHUAbOBV

— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) October 27, 2024

Quitting on your team as the face of the franchise isn't acceptable. Also, people can say that his inexperience might have factored into this boneheaded decision, but that's not going to cut it.

Middle school football players know not to quit on their team, let alone an NFL quarterback against a divisional opponent.

Lastly, Richardson couldn't read NFL defenses to save his life. Part of this can be traced to his inexperience, but another portion can go to his lack of worth ethic to stay in the film room and learn.

Richardson turned the ball over at an alarming rate in 2024, tossing 12 picks in 11 starts and fumbling nine times to pair with the interceptions.

At the end of the day, Richardson needs to be blamed to a degree. It takes two to tango in this blunder, but the NFL demands hard work and dedication. Those two qualities seemed to be absent from Richardson's routine.

Now, let's turn our attention to Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen, and the Colts franchise.

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Why the Colts Organization Deserves Blame

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard meets with the media at the 2026 NFL Combine. | Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There have been rumors created that Indianapolis took Richardson solely because the late owner Jim Irsay wanted the franchise to do so. However, this is completely unproven.

Regardless, Indianapolis' front office and Steichen knew what they were risking by choosing Richardson with their fourth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Richardson played three years for the Gators, but only saw 13 total starts under center. While 2023 was his best year, he still completed only 53.8 percent of his passes and threw nine interceptions in 12 games.

In short, Richardson desperately needed another season under his belt with the Gators, and shouldn't have declared for the draft that soon.

Also, Richardson's injury history was real during his college days, not just in the NFL. Some notable injuries include a concussion, hamstring strain, meniscus tear, and other knee injuries.

His discipline and common sense were also in question. The proof lies in one instance. In 2021, as a freshman at Florida, Richardson injured his knee dancing at a team hotel the night before a game against South Carolina.

Despite these red flags, the Colts still acted and drafted the risky product.

Dec 28, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) watches the action on the field from the sidelin at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

The Colts needed an answer at quarterback, especially after a disastrous 2022 season that ended with a horrific 4-12-1 record after three quarterbacks started for the team (Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, and Nick Foles).

However, the Colts could have moved up to take a more sure-fire option like C.J. Stroud. They could have also taken a year to find the next guy by allowing Gardner Minshew to be the bridge signal-caller.

At the time, it seemed like a great decision to pair Richardson with Steichen, who had previously worked with and developed the likes of Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.

He also had experience coaching one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all-time, Philip Rivers.

Still, the writing was on the wall, and the Colts grossly overestimated their ability to mold the most inexperienced quarterback ever taken that high in draft history.

Now, it's time to announce who deserves the most blame of the two parties.

The Verdict

Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks with media Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's the Colts: plain and simple.

Yes, Richardson did himself zero favors, but Indianapolis had a QB-centric head coach in Steichen, a fresh quarterback coach in Cam Turner, and a former pass game coordinator in offensive coach Jim Bob Cooter.

Indianapolis also had plenty of other coaches to help Richardson, as well as a veteran signal-caller to help with the transition to the pros in Minshew.

Similar to a head coach taking the blame for a loss, even if it's not directly their fault, the Colts have to follow the same grain here.

Also, to turn back to the previous entry, the Colts knew what they were getting themselves into, and still stepped into a completely dark room with little direction of what would happen.

While it's impossible to forecast how any quarterback will fare in the NFL after being drafted, Richardson had the most baggage and inexperience heading into the league.

Now, Indianapolis is risking a lot again by entrusting Jones with the quarterback duties after a season-ending Achilles tear and a massive history of injuries.

As for Richardson, he'll look for a fresh destination to hopefully revitalize his career after three hollow seasons in the Circle City.