Anthony Richardson's Colts Woes May Have Fairly Simple Explanation
The Indianapolis Colts selected quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
They knew he was raw and required development when they drafted him. Richardson possessed eye-popping athleticism and physical tools, but he only started 13 games at Florida.
Three years later, Richardson, 23, bears the burden of the “bust” label. It’s true that Richardson has not looked like an NFL QB1 in his 15 starts. He last started in 2024, throwing for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on an abysmal 47.7% completion. Accuracy is the most difficult, if not impossible, trait to teach a quarterback. It’s possible that Richardson simply doesn’t have it, and the Colts recognized that and bailed.
But Richardson showed a knack for the big play and still delivered as a dual-threat, rushing for 499 yards and six touchdowns. Sam Darnold just became the bat-signal for quarterback reclamation projects by winning Super Bowl LX with the Seattle Seahawks after starting his career as the “seeing ghosts” guy with the New York Jets.
The Colts knew Richardson was a project when they drafted him. Do they deserve a pass for failing to commit to the process of developing Richardson after investing in him?
I’d argue no, but it doesn’t matter: Colts head coach Shane Steichen seems simply incompatible with Richardson.
“This is the deal: Shane Steichen wants someone to execute his scheme the way he wants [because] he believes it's good enough to win even with an [average] QB,” ESPN Colts beat reporter Stephen Holder wrote on X. “Maybe he's right. But the issue is AR requires you to relax that approach, and Shane is just not willing - for better or worse.”
The Colts signed Daniel Jones, the formerly flamed-out 2019 sixth overall pick of the New York Giants, last offseason, and Jones soundly beat out Richardson for the starting job in the preseason.
Jones executed Steichen’s scheme to perfection in the early portion of last season. With Jones under center, the Colts’ offense looked unstoppable, and the team started 8-2 before their bye week. Then, Jones played through a fractured fibula before rupturing his Achilles on Dec. 7. The Colts didn’t win another game, finishing 8-9.
The Colts and Steichen are banking on those first 10 games by giving Jones a lucrative two-year contract in March. Richardson saw the writing on the wall and requested a trade in February, but a trade hasn’t materialized. Even if he remains on the Colts’ roster as a backup in 2026, his best chance at reaching his ceiling will be to find with another team what Jones found in Indianapolis once he becomes an unrestricted free agent next March.
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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 8:36 PM.