Why Anthony Richardson Could Be Kevin O’Connell’s Next Reclamation Project

Anthony Richardson’s time in Indianapolis appears to be coming to an end.

According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the Colts have given the quarterback permission to seek a trade, given his “uncertain future” with the club.

Richardson was selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL draft but has struggled to find success. He’s made just 15 starts over three seasons, posting an 8–7 record with 21 total touchdowns against 17 turnovers, and this past summer lost his starting job to free-agent acquisition Daniel Jones.

MORE: Three Anthony Richardson Trade Destinations That Actually Make Sense

The 23-year-old uber-gifted signal-caller still has plenty left in the tank—despite dealing with a handful of injuries to begin his career—and with a clean slate (and in the right situation) could now have an opportunity to revive his career.

Enter Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.

After news of a potential Richardson trade, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that there is “mutual interest” between the quarterback and the Vikings and that they’re a team to keep an eye on.

The pairing makes sense for several reasons.

Why Richardson has a chance to be O’Connell’s next reclamation project

Anthony Richardson — Richardson has reportedly been given permission to seek a trade out of Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Several years ago, O’Connell was caught on a hot mic giving Richardson some words of encouragement after a 21–13 Vikings win over the Colts.

“Do me a favor and remember something,” O’Connell said to Richardson. “You’re a bad dude. And you’re going to play for a long time in this league. Go to work every day. Good things will happen for you. I still believe in you ...”

It sounds like he still believes, even a year later.

The Vikings selected Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury. In ’25, McCarthy made 10 starts, going 6–4 while throwing 11 touchdowns and turning the ball over 14 times. He also sustained several injuries, so his future in Minnesota is murky at best. Just ask Vikings executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, who told reporters at the combine this week that the team is prepared to “explore every opportunity” at quarterback.

Enter Richardson.

Like McCarthy, Richardson is still primarily an unknown at the professional level. Not only has he appeared in only 17 NFL games, but he logged only 13 starts at Florida. His game is raw, but the aforementioned physical traits—size, arm strength and athleticism—likely remain intriguing to any offensive coach.

Having said that, O’Connell’s West Coast-adjacent system is a quarterback’s best friend. Heavy play-action, half-field reads and presnap motion designed not only to understand coverage but also dictate matchups are the bread and butter of what has become an incredibly efficient Minnesota offense since he took over in 2022. The structure is designed to allow his quarterbacks to play fast, on schedule and to their strengths—without overthinking the defense in front of them.

Over the past several seasons, a handful of quarterbacks have found career-reviving success under O’Connell’s watch—which is why the Richardson pairing could make sense.

What other QBs have found success under O’Connell in Minnesota?

Darnold, O’Connell — Sam Darnold turned his time under Kevin O'Connell into a Super Bowl championship. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Here’s a look at the quarterbacks who have found career-altering or career-continuing success under O’Connell since he took over in Minnesota in 2022:

Kirk Cousins

While Cousins was already a formidable quarterback before O’Connell’s hire, the team’s success after O’Connell took over is what stands out here. Over 25 starts across the 2022 and ’23 seasons, Cousins led the Vikings to a 17–8 record while throwing for 6,878 yards, 47 touchdowns and only 19 interceptions.

Despite tearing his Achilles tendon, Cousins’s play earned him a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in the spring of 2024.

Sam Darnold

Darnold signed a one-year contract with the Vikings ahead of the 2024 season, with the expectation that he would compete for the starting job, while also serving as a mentor to McCarthy.

After a knee injury sidelined the then-rookie for the entire season, however, Darnold was thrust into the spotlight, and responded with the best football of his career. He led Minnesota to a 14–3 regular-season record while notching career-highs in passing yards (4,319), passing touchdowns (35) and passer rating (102.5).

He then parlayed that success into a three-year, $100 million contract with the Seahawks, and in his first season with Seattle, guided them to a Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

Joshua Dobbs

Dobbs was handed the reins to Minnesota’s offense after Cousins’s aforementioned Achilles injury in 2023. While he didn’t light the world on fire, he did go 2–2 as a starter, accounting for eight total touchdowns, and proving to be an asset to a quarterback room. He’s since spent time with the 49ers and is currently Drake Maye’s backup with the Patriots.

Daniel Jones

Though Jones never suited up for the Vikings after being signed to their practice squad in late 2024, he attributes his time with the franchise as one of the reasons why he was able to accomplish what he did with the Colts this past season.

“I always thought I worked really hard…” Jones said in an appearance on the Fitz and Whit podcast late last year. “But going to Minnesota, I saw how Sam [Darnold] prepared. I saw how Kevin [O’Connell] prepared those guys, Josh McCown, Grant Udinski, that crew, and how detailed they were, day-in-and-day-out on every little bit of the plan … That made a big impression on me.”

Jones is considered the top free agent available this offseason.