It’s clear from the fact that they took him No. 4 overall last week that the Indianapolis Colts think the world of quarterback Anthony Richardson. But their general manager recently revealed just how eager they were to get him.
In a recent in-house documentary that the Colts released on their 2023 NFL Draft leadup, Colts GM Chris Ballard said before the draft that he didn’t want to see Richardson become “a superstar somewhere else.” He said that he wanted to see Richardson become a star for the Colts.
“I didn’t want to look up and watch him be a superstar somewhere else,” Ballard said. “If he’s gonna be a superstar, he’s gonna be a superstar for the Colts.”
Bit Ballard took it a step further, telling Football Morning in America’s Peter King that he was ready to take Richardson even at the risk that he might fail rather than see him become someone else’s star.
“I would rather take the risk, the risk that he might fail, than pass on him and see him become a star somewhere else,” Ballard said.
The moment Chris Ballard knew AR was coming to Indy.#WithTheNextPick Part 2: https://t.co/NdnvmqnGhV pic.twitter.com/rDw7XCzfGf
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 5, 2023
Chris Ballard has struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position in the years since Andrew Luck retired.
After several years of trying to make things work with a veteran, the Colts are ready to turn the reins over to a young quarterback.
Ballard had better be right about Richardson though. Who knows how patient owner Jim Irsay will be if the former Florida QB doesn’t thrive in Year 1…