When the Indianapolis Colts drafted Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they envisioned big things for him. They expected Richardson to take them places they haven’t been since the eras of Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck.
However, Richardson has been plagued by injuries and inconsistencies since entering the league. Recently, it was announced that Richardson would miss mandatory minicamp with a shoulder injury, which further opened the door for a quarterback competition between him and backup Daniel Jones. This situation has created controversy over who will start Week 1.
Indianapolis Colts QB Job Up for Grabs As Anthony Richardson’s Situation Unclear
NFL insider Mike Florio recently addressed the competition on the “NFL on NBC” podcast. He said he expects that Jones will be the Week 1 starter for the Colts.
“It seems likely at this point, even though Anthony Richardson has said that he’ll be ready to go to start training camp,” Florio said. “That contradicts what coach Shane Steichen said after Richardson’s latest shoulder injury, that he’ll be back at some point, which implies he won’t be back at the beginning of training camp. I think it’s going to be Jones.”
Richardson’s current injury is to his throwing shoulder, the same one he hurt in his rookie year. In 2023, he underwent an operation to repair that shoulder and is now advised to rest it. Richardson also dealt with hip and back injuries in 2024, missing four games.
The fact that Colts coach Shane Steichen was intentionally vague about Richardson’s return gives Florio the impression that the team is leaning toward Jones. The Colts signed Jones, the former first-round pick of the New York Giants, to a one-year, $14 million contract in March 2025, with $13.15 million fully guaranteed.
Daniel Jones’ Path to Starting Quarterback
Florio noted Jones was good enough to earn a second contract with the Giants, and he thinks Jones will earn the starting job in Indianapolis. “Say what you will about Daniel Jones, and there’s a lot of things that people say about Daniel Jones, he earned a second contract. He took the Giants to the playoffs. He beat the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota.”
“When he’s healthy and when he’s effective, when he has a decent offensive line, he can be good. Good enough that I think he’s going to be the Week 1 starter,” Florio added.
Jones’ situation in New York got complicated during that second contract. He signed a four-year, $160 million contract with the Giants in March 2023. His performance wasn’t consistently good enough to justify the risk, especially given the injury clauses in his deal.
After being benched by the Giants, Jones requested a release, which the team granted partway through the 2024 season. He finished the 2024 season with the Vikings before he was signed by the Colts in 2025.
Richardson, like Jones, has demonstrated considerable raw talent and potential. In his two seasons with the Colts, Richardson has appeared in 15 games, completing 50.6% of his passes for 2,391 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He has also rushed for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, the concerns over his injuries and inconsistent performance have some starting to worry that he might be a bust.
Both Jones and Richardson have a lot to prove, and they will both be hoping to do it during training camp and the 2025 season. Jones has a career completion percentage of 64.0%, with 16,652 passing yards, 78 touchdowns, and 54 interceptions in 80 games, along with 2,444 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.