Anthony Richardson threw 22 incompletions Sunday and took the rare step of asking out of a game due to fatigue. Viewed as a developmental player with a high ceiling, Richardson has not shown consistency since debuting in Week 1 of last season.
The Colts saw the 2023 No. 4 overall pick complete 10 of 32 passes (including 2-for-15 in the first half) against the Texans, and while they only lost to the AFC South leaders by three points, they have not seen Richardson make strides in Year 2. Richardson did not benefit much from his rookie year, seeing a shoulder injury end his season early, but the Colts are at least a wild-card contender in the AFC tied to an unreliable quarterback.
As it stands, Shane Steichen said Richardson remains Indianapolis’ starter. But the second-year Colts HC, responding to a question about Richardson’s Week 9 status, said (via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder) the team is “evaluating everything.” The Colts have Joe Flacco in place as their backup and used the 39-year-old veteran in two starts while Richardson rehabbed an oblique injury. The Colts kept Richardson in their lineup after struggles before his oblique issue; they appear to be giving stronger consideration to taking the other route now.
For the season, Richardson has completed an astonishing 44.4% of his passes. That is the fifth-lowest number through six games since 2000, per ESPN Stats and Info. Richardson was at 59.5% before going down last season. The Florida product is still 3-3 as a starter who has averaged 7.2 yards per attempt, but he ranks 27th in QBR and last among qualified options in passer rating. Flacco has completed 65.7% of his throws while filling in this season, throwing seven touchdown passes compared to one interception.
Richardson exited Week 8 with a 4-to-7 TD-INT ratio. The highly touted prospect has 242 rushing yards but has completed 10 or fewer passes in four of the five games he finished this season, significantly hindering Indianapolis’ offense. Both Steichen and center Ryan Kelly spoke to the QB after his decision to tap out for a play following a scramble in Houston. It would stand to reason that will be factored into Steichen’s Richardson-or-Flacco decision for Week 9.
“We had a conversation about it this morning in the quarterback room, which I’ll keep private,” Steichen said. “But, obviously, in those situations he knows on those type of deals, you can’t take yourself out and it’s a learned experience for him and he’s got to grow from it.”
Still just 22, Richardson came to Indianapolis after starting one season at Florida. While dazzling at the 2023 Combine, the 6-foot-4, 244-pound passer also struggled with accuracy with the Gators. He completed less than 54% of his throws during the 2022 season. The Colts will need to balance Richardson’s long-term development with a chance to make the playoffs. Steichen had previously said Richardson needed playing time to improve. The former Eagles OC stepped back a bit from that stance Monday.
“I think it could go either way,” Steichen said of a quarterback developing by playing or observing. “There’s certain [teams] that throw guys into the fire early and there’s other guys that let them sit back and watch. Like I’ve said before, the more you play, the more you learn at that position. But is there a benefit sometimes in sitting back and watching it? Yeah, of course there is.”
The fact that the Colts went from 2017-23 with seven different Week 1 starting QBs — tied for the second-longest stretch since the 1970 merger — and cycled through veterans post-Andrew Luck will undoubtedly factor into their decision as well, but Richardson is officially on notice. The Colts would be unlikely to go through with a benching that leaves Richardson’s long-term future in doubt, as the Panthers did with Bryce Young, but they would need to walk a fine line if they sit their prospect midway through his second season.
Spoiler: he has no place in any lineup.
Nonsense, Richardson could definitely start in the USFL
Drop the “L” and you might be right. Although, I think they lose their eligibility after they sign with a professional agent.
this is a joke i’m sorry Colts fans i’m sorry
With that build, surely Richardson would make a great fullback. Plus he’d be a risk to throw on any down. He might make a great gadget player, a kind of super-sized Taysom Hill.
Steichen wants to go with Flaco so bad it hurts. Ballard and Steichen have to decide if they are trying to develop their No. 4 pick or are they trying to win games and be in the playoffs.
Anyone with a brain wants to go with Flacco. The colts picked a running back that sometimes passes who only started a dozen games in college.
Richardson is just Justin Fields with a stronger arm
I think Fields is mediocre at best, but he is so much better than Richardson. Richardson does not know how to play QB and should not be in the NFL
richardson is trey lance with a stronger arm. some teams wont ever learn
Richardson needs to grow up mentally or his talent will be wasted. Texans are going to win a lot of close games because Fairbairn is a terrific clutch kicker.
Gotta be real, Houston is looking real sus after that one. How do you let the opposing QB post a 31.3 completion% and still only win by 3?
The Colts have some good talent in Taylor, Pittman and Josh Downs who probably made the catch of the year in that game. link to youtube.com
As a Texans fan, I completely agree. Yes they’re dealing with injuries to some key players but Stroud and the offensive line have not been playing well the last two weeks. Honestly, we should’ve lost to Buffalo too. The last three drives it was like we did everything we could to keep Buffalo in that game
How many HCs have used the coachspeak “we’re evaluating everything” and then not gone on to make a major change?
I wonder how much the Colts pay their college scouting staff members…
I never really felt like this was a Ballard or scouting department pick, to be honest. The Colts do have one of the most…shall we say, “headstrong” owners in the league. I could be wrong, but that was truly always my feeling on this pick.
This was a boneheaded owner choice who just had to have a new toy.
This kid made it through high school and college in pure God given talent. And now that he actually needs to put forth a fair amount of effort, he is failing miserably. What he did yesterday against a division rival in the heat of battle will absolutely weigh on his teammates and I can’t imagine any of them are very happy with how that situation turned out. And I truly feel for Shane S. as I guarantee he wants to start Flaco so badly it hurts. But when you have a GM and ownership running the front office AND the sidelines, you ain’t winning that battle. Too bad b/c this division looks like it’s there for the taking too!
Dtownwarrior78 excellent points and wells stated.
I too feel for Steichen having to deal with a GM and ownership that run the front office and dictating the sidelines. I hope that the GM and ownership give in a roll with Flaco, then trade Richardson on the cheap.
When Richardson sets his feet, he under throws the target and when he throws on the fly, he sky’s the receiver. This is a clear sign that the young man’s tookus is so tight that if you shoved a piece of coal up it, a diamond would come out. The young man needs to get comfortable and then confident.
I don’t know if Richardson actually likes football. Yes every hit is painful but he gets hurt almost every game. He wasn’t that incredible in college. Feel like he just played football because he has the size and strong arm.
This is a good chance for owners that interfere with personnel decisions – particularly in obtaining QB’s – to bail one another out.
Jimmy Haslem and Jim Irsay can do a one-for-one trade that should work out well for both clubs next year when each QB is healthy and focused.
Anthony Richardson for Deshaun Watson. Both owners get rid of their problem.
Well well well, looks like when I was chanting Flacco a few weeks back I wasn’t as out of my mind as some people said I was. Glad everyone else finally caught up to what I was already seeing. Flacco Flacco Flacco
I’m guessing a QB could go 0 for 30 on pass attempts in a game, but not lose as much respect as a guy who asks out of the game because he’s pooped. No way this guy can lead the team going forward.
They need to have him work with one of those specialists you see at the draft working with prospects on refining their skills. Jordan Palmer might be his best chance at saving his career, and if he can’t fix him, forget about it. Trent Dilfer could too, he knows a lot about improving footwork for passers with a low completion percentage.
When he said playing in college was easier than playing in the NFL I knew he was an idiot. Just cut your losses.
‘Rare’ isn’t the word I would use to describe a starting QB taking himself out of the game simply because he was tired. I might use ‘unprecedented’ or ‘ground-breaking’. I’ve watched professional football for many decades and I have NEVER seen it before. Standard practice is to simply call a running play and let someone else provide the effort while the QB recovers.
Or say, I tweaked my leg, got the wind knocked out of me, or had an equipment issue. Anything but saying you were tired. Low IQ player.
If he went #1 Russell would have a competitor for biggest bust ever. Richardson was bad in college and way worse as a pro.
He’s already worse actually, Russell had a better completion % even with more ints.
The NBC game next week is gonna be hard to stomach. Vikings have dropped 2 straight after a 6-0 start. Colts have hit a rough stretch, plus their QB1 took himself out of a game. And the NFL swapped out Jax-Philly for Indy-Minny.
What if raw developmental QB’s were developed because they were raw instead of starting every game?
oh c’mon! now you’re just making sense ffs!
The way ESPN hypes NCAA QBs … and STILL employs Mel Kiper … “bust” has almost become an inevitability.
… not that I want to distract anyone from the inherent brain fart of tossing Rookie QBs into starting roles to face a Bosa, Hutch, Maxx or any other bloodlust pass rusher
And then blocking them with running backs.
you noticed that one too huh? lol
Just another in a loooong line of QBs with his skill set that 99% of the time flop. When will branches learn?
He’ll catch on somewhere several years from now and play decently for a couple years but in general unless you’re Lamar, Young, Mahomes, etc this type of skill set just doesn’t work in the NFL.
I know nothing…but why not that seem to know when a QB is drafted that they will be terrible yet the expert GM’s do not?
I believe that Richarson is the only reason that the Colts aren’t in 1st place. He just isnt NFL ready currently. IDK if he would be ready at the start of next year either.
What’s to evaluate ?
The guy is terrible and then begs out of the game because he was tired ?
Give me a break
Some faulty judgement aside, it is possible that not every rookie can start in game 1 of his rookie year. Plus we’re talking about a guy with very, very limited college experience. If was almost like they were trying to support their drafting position by starting him right away.