Once Andrew Luck called it quits, the quarterback position for the Indianapolis Colts remained in flux for a while. The Colts hoped they found their long-term answer when they took Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. But so far, the plan hasn’t unfolded as they envisioned. Since then, though, things haven’t fully gone according to plan.
Richardson entered the league as a raw prospect, which was evident from the start. Throughout his first two seasons, he hasn’t shown enough to convince the Colts leadership that he’s the future. That led to a quarterback competition this past offseason with free agent addition Daniel Jones, who ultimately won the starting job. Now, trade chatter is heating up around Richardson. Where did it all go wrong for him?
Anthony Richardson: Misfire or Mismanagement?
Coming out of Florida, the talented gunslinger had fewer than 400 passing attempts to his credit. Taking him fourth overall, Indianapolis had to know that his development would be a long process rather than instantly fruitful.
However, the leash afforded to him was extremely short. Playing in just four games in his rookie year, he tallied 577 yards and three touchdowns against one interception while completing nearly 60% of his passes.
He was given the starting job for the majority of the season in Year 2. But it did not take long for the Colts to explore other options. In 11 games, he finished with a sub-50% completion rate while recording 1,814 yards.
His turnover-to-interception ratio really hurt his stock, though, as he recorded eight touchdowns against a whopping 12 interceptions. Even though he showcased a penchant for running the ball, it wasn’t enough to sway general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen.
That’s when Jones really came into the equation.
Daniel Jones Earning Starting Nod Over Richardson
Signing Jones to a one-year, prove-it deal was a smart choice in isolation for the Colts. He provided experience and could serve as an ideal backup for Richardson as he tried to figure out the ropes of playing quarterback in the NFL.
That is how Ballard explained the signing at the time as well, claiming Jones would serve as competition to elevate Richardson’s play and refine his skills. However, throughout the summer, including the training camp, the two were locked in a tight battle for the starting quarterback position.
The competition seemed to have benefited Richardson greatly, with an encouraging performance throughout training camp. Both players suited up for two preseason games with little in terms of separation between the two.
However, Steichen chose to move forward with Jones to begin the year, at the very least. He stated, “I think the guys have taken to him. He’s a great communicator with the guys. You can see that veteran presence out there. So, I’m excited for that.”
Additionally, he made it clear that he was not keeping a “quick leash” on Jones and naming him the starter for the season. However, he did make it clear that he viewed this as an ideal opportunity for Richardson to gain some new perspective.
“He’s still learning, still growing. And for the first time in his career, this is an opportunity for him to sit at the start of a season and learning in a different light and attack it the right way.” Unfortunately, Richardson didn’t sound too thrilled about the prospect of being a backup.
“[Steichen] made a decision,” he said. “That’s the decision we’ve got to live with, but no hard feelings, nothing personal. I’ve just got to keep growing. I just can’t let me not being a starter stop me from going and being the person, the player that I’m supposed to be.”
Ballard on Daniel Jones/Anthony Richardson.
-He had ample backing of AR
-From Ballard: Alex Smith a frequent comp for Jones (short term) and AR (long term) pic.twitter.com/Tyfy4a5ksQ
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) August 27, 2025
Additionally, he believed that he had grown in recent months as a player. “I just feel like I made a lot of growth, but there’s still a lot of growth to be made, so I’m just working.”
For a quarterback entering just his third season with less than 750 passing attempts to his credit, taking on a backup role has to be a tough pill to swallow. As a result, a potential trade could be on the horizon.
Jeremy Fowler from ESPN confirmed that Richardson’s agent, Deiric Jackson, met with Ballard to discuss his client’s future with the organization. On his end, though, the former first-round pick has been a perfect team player.
Fowler noted, “Richardson isn’t making any waves — he will remain professional, backing up Jones and maintaining his readiness.” Continuing, he added, “He also worked on improving his regimen, leadership, mechanics, diet and ability to layer short-to-intermediate throws, resulting in improvement in camp that ultimately wasn’t enough to win the job.”
Still, he maintained that the possibility of Richardson starting for the Colts later down the year is still alive. It will be interesting to see how the next stage of one of the rawest and most intriguing prospects of the last few years pans out.
Jones Impressed Everyone on Colts Debut
Jones made his debut for the Colts in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. He led his team to a dominant 33-8 win and started the season on a high note.
Jones completed 22/29 of his throws for 272 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 26 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.
INDIANA JONES.
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/RVAcjPGQ0w
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 7, 2025
In Week 1 against the Dolphins, the Colts’ playmakers also had a solid outing. Star receiver Michael Pittman Jr. finished with six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren also had a great debut, recording seven receptions for 76 yards on nine targets.
With the Colts quarterback throwing effectively, it created running lanes for Jonathan Taylor to take advantage of.He finished the game with 71 rushing yards on 18 carries, along with three receptions for 27 yards.
Jones rejected a chance to return to the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason, and with how things have played out in Indianapolis, it looks like he made the right decision.
The Colts will play the Denver Broncos in Week 2, and it will be interesting to see how Jones plays against arguably the best defensive unit in the league.
