Anthony Richardson Sr.’s third NFL season won’t end with him under center, and it certainly won’t end the way he hoped. The Indianapolis Colts have decided not to activate the young quarterback from injured reserve for Sunday’s season finale against the Houston Texans, officially closing the book on an injury-filled 2025 campaign.
Anthony Richardson Sr. on His NFL Future
Richardson Sr. met the news of not being activated with a sense of perspective rather than frustration. Speaking on Wednesday, the former fourth overall pick relayed that while the season’s outcome stings, it hasn’t shaken his confidence or love for the game.
.@HolderStephen asked #Colts QB Anthony Richardson Sr. — given everything he’s been through — if he still believes he can have a high-level career in the NFL:
“Oh, yeah, no doubt. If I still got a chance to play football, then, shit, it’s always out there for me.” pic.twitter.com/md1Quff7dW
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 1, 2026
“Oh, yeah. No doubt,” he said when asked if he could have a high-level NFL career after everything he’s been through. “If I’ve still got a chance to play football, then it’s all out there.”
Those words reflect the mindset of a quarterback who has already faced more adversity early in his career than most. Richardson has been sidelined since October after a freak pregame accident, when a stretching band struck him in the face and caused a fractured orbital bone near his right eye. The injury led to him being on the injured reserve and left him dealing with lingering vision issues that have taken time to heal.
Although his practice window opened on Dec. 18 and he has been working with the team for the past two weeks, the Indianapolis Colts ultimately chose caution. Coach Shane Steichen stated that the decision not to activate Richardson was based on concerns for his eyesight and long-term health.
“It’s just a smart thing,” Steichen said, via ESPN. “Obviously, putting him out there with vision limitations [and] something happens, not a good idea.”
Richardson said his vision isn’t “100 percent” yet, but noted that it has steadily improved. He said he doesn’t notice it much during practice and has been able to operate effectively while running the scout team offense against the Colts’ first-team defense, which has a score of 72.5 and a C- rating on PFSN’s Defense Impact metric.
“Some plays, I catch myself out there throwing it, fitting it into spots that I was doing before,” he said. “So that definitely feels good. But there were a few plays that the defense did get me. It kind of hit me, like, ‘Man, maybe I should have did this or that.’ But it’s just football. I’ve been making plays out there, and I’m excited to be back out there for sure.”
Even so, close-range vision remains an issue, and the organization is unwilling to risk further damage by rushing him back for a single game.
I wished him well all the way. But when he did that stupid stunt with the giant rubber band. That was the last straw. Big strong DUFFUS!