After an injury-riddled freshman and sophomore NFL campaign, Anthony Richardson hopes 2025 has better things in store. It’s been a roller-coaster ride for the 22-year-old starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts.
Richardson, who went fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, played in just 11 games last season and underwhelmed greatly when healthy. However, coaches and players within the Colts’ organization still have faith that the Florida product is their QB1.
Nick Cross Praises Anthony Richardson: ‘It’s a Matter of When’
Nick Cross, a Colts safety, recently joined the NFL Network to discuss Richardson and what the rest of his NFL career may entail. Cross, a third-round pick in 2022, does not doubt that his quarterback will flourish sooner or later.
"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when."@Colts S @Nick_Cross26 believes that QB Anthony Richardson will succeed in the league. pic.twitter.com/cxegaXh9Mv
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) April 14, 2025
“Phenomenal talent, one of the best I’ve seen physically,” said Cross. “Six-foot, five [inches], 250 [pounds], runs 4.4[-second 40-yard dash], not as fast as me, but at the end of the day, he gets out in open space, and he’s a problem. Elite arm talent, can make all the throws and everything.”
Cross continued his defense of Richardson by citing his young age as a huge factor. The 22-year-old quarterback has plenty of time to figure it out.
“He’s a young guy, he’s 22 years old, someone who has a very bright future ahead,” said Cross. “Someone who I wholeheartedly believe in. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.
“Every great quarterback has had their ups and downs. Peyton Manning led the league in interceptions as a rookie, Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for a little bit, so everyone has their own path.”
Cross Echoes Sage Advice From Stephon Gilmore
Cross recalled a quote from Stephon Gilmore that struck a chord with him early in his professional football career. The one-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year told Cross to move at his own pace and eliminate the outside noise.
“Something I learned from another great from my career, Stephon Gilmore, is everybody has their own race, just run your own race,” Cross said. “So, I feel like at the end of the day, some people are a little harder on kids. Everybody’s path is different. He only played one year of college, playing at Florida. At the end of the day, he’s learning at a high pace. He wants to learn, He’s willing to learn … he’s the ultimate competitor.”
While some people predicted Richardson to be the subject of trade rumors this offseason, those rumors never came to fruition. Richardson appears to be staying put in Indianapolis, with an incomplete body of work in the stat sheet.
PFSN’s Ben Rolfe Evaluates Richardson’s Early Career Numbers
Using PFSN’s 2024 NFL QB+ metric, Richardson falls just two spots from last at 37th place. He graded out at 59.5 during the 2024 regular season, good enough for a failing F grade, and Richardson ranked only slightly higher than Spencer Rattler and Deshaun Watson — the two worst quarterbacks on the PFSN list.
“The Colts have one more season to evaluate Richardson, but his poor play, combined with health concerns, doesn’t paint a positive picture,” wrote PFSN’s Ben Rolfe. “The season-long numbers are a major concern for Richardson.
“Not many quarterbacks have a lower EPA/DB than his -0.13 (36th). He also ranks inside the bottom 10 in EPA/DB from a clean pocket (0.12; 30th) or when pressured (-0.53; 34th), and his 31.2% third-down conversion rate is 34th.
“Richardson’s TD/INT rate is 0.7, and he has nearly as many rushing touchdowns this season (six) as he does passing (eight).”
With arguably the biggest season of his football career upcoming, can Richardson finally live up to the hype? Or will the highly touted prospect end up flopping?