We learned yesterday that Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his AC joint. Since Richardson was placed on injured reserve last week, it seemed like the QB and the organization were going back and forth on how to proceed with the shoulder injury.
[RELATED: Colts QB Anthony Richardson To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery]
Per ESPN’s Stephen Holder, it was an unanimous agreement from the get-go that Richardson should go under the knife, but considering the procedure would definitively end the QB’s season, the sides weren’t in any rush to make a decision. That would explain why Richardson and the organization didn’t make their final decision until a week after the rookie landed on injured reserve.
Before the Colts and Richardson decided that surgery was the optimal path, they consulted with doctors from both the Texas Rangers and New York Mets. Holder notes that the Colts looked towards Major League Baseball docs because of the AC joint’s impact on “throwers.” These “outside” doctor worked alongside the Colts in-house doctors while advising Richardson on the best path forward.
When it comes to a timeline, Holder notes that the organization, Colts doctors, and Richardson will establish all of that following the surgery. The operation is intended to fix the injury and “prevent further occurrences,” and there’s no concern about the QB’s long-term health.
A concussion in Week 2 and the Week 4 shoulder injury came after Richardson ran the ball himself, leading some to wonder if the risk was worth the reward. When asked about the mobile quarterback’s running preference, Colts owner Jim Irsay shut down the notion.
“He’s not running too much. He’s protecting himself. He really is,” Irsay told Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. “If you look at the one on the shoulder injury, you can’t believe it happened. It’s just a normal tackle.”