The Indianapolis Colts drafted Anthony Richardson fourth overall in 2023. When you’re drafted that high, you’re supposed to become a team’s franchise quarterback.
Unfortunately, Richardson has not become Indy’s next Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck. His two NFL seasons have been marked with injuries and not-so-elite passing. He was even benched temporarily in favor of Joe Flacco last season.
This offseason, the Colts signed six-year veteran Daniel Jones to a one-year contract. He will compete with Richardson for the starting quarterback role. The Colts hope Jones will light a fire under Richardson and motivate him to elevate his game.
When the Colts drafted Richardson, fans thought their team had landed a future star. But again, that hasn’t happened yet. As a result, he has received a lot of criticism, and some people have labeled him a bust. Here are two ways, though, that he can get back in the fans’ good graces.
How Colts Quarterback Anthony Richardson Can Redeem Himself in 2025
Improve as a Passer
Anthony Richardson is extremely athletic. Honestly, he’s probably one of the most athletic quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen.
Richardson also has a cannon for an arm. He showcased that last season, throwing an impressive 60-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce.
However, Richardson has struggled when it comes to accuracy. He completed only 47.7 percent of his passes in 2024. Yeah, that’s not very good at all. He must improve his accuracy issues this year. There’s no doubt about it.
Luckily, Richardson has a talented group of pass-catchers to throw to. The wide receiver room is led by Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Pierce. Each of those guys had over 800 receiving yards last season.
Plus, there’s rookie tight end Tyler Warren, whom the Colts drafted in the first round this year. The former Penn State star caught 104 passes for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns last season. The rookie could emerge as an offensive weapon in 2025. And if that happens, it will only make life as a passer easier for Richardson.
Lead the Colts to the Playoffs
The words “Colts” and “playoffs” sound weird in the same sentence. Indy hasn’t reached the postseason since 2020. That was back when Philip Rivers was the starting quarterback. It seems like it was a million years ago.
Also, the Colts haven’t won the AFC South since 2014. With that said, it has been a rough time for Colts fans over the years.
Richardson can redeem himself by leading the team to the playoffs this year. But for that to happen, Richardson must beat out Jones for the starting job, finally stay healthy, and put together a breakout season. While that’s a difficult task, it isn’t impossible.
Just powering the team to the playoffs would make Colts fans happy. But leading them to an AFC title would make fans even happier.
Richardson and the gang, though, must fend off the Houston Texans. Led by the duo of coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans have won the division the past two years. Can Richardson’s Colts stop a Houston three-peat? We will find out.
Main Photo: [Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar] – USA Today Sports
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