Quarterback rooms in the NFL are among the most critical in all of sports, as quarterbacks shoulder immense responsibility—from audibles at the line of scrimmage to post-snap reads and dissecting coverages to move the offense downfield.
In today’s game, a weak quarterback room can be devastating to a team’s chances of success. One franchise, in particular, has struggled for years to find stability at the position—and may now have the worst quarterback situation in the entire league.
Danny Kanell Reveals His Least Favorite Quarterback Room in the NFL
Having a less-than-stellar quarterback room in the NFL could cost a team a lot of games. Former quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Danny Kannell discussed how he believes the Indianapolis Colts have the worst group of quarterbacks throughout the league.
“If I ranked QB rooms, this might be my last favorite. … Granted, we have two first-round picks in there between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. Daniel Jones, we’ve seen him have multiple opportunities and come up short, we’ve seen him with Saquon Barkley and come up short.”
He would also explain how the team’s starting quarterback last season in Richardson still has failed to progress through some massive issues after two seasons in the league.
“I worry about Anthony Richardson as the future because the same concerns that I had about him in at the University of Florida are cropping up.”
Red flags continue to follow Anthony Richardson’s development in the NFL. In 2024, he completed just 47.7% of his passes—the worst single-season mark by a quarterback since Tim Tebow’s 46.5% in 2011.
Another ongoing concern is his availability; through two seasons, Richardson has played in only 15 games due to a mix of injuries and inconsistent performance.
While not solely the quarterback’s responsibility, the Colts finished 21st in Offensive+ with a 70.5 grade in 2024. That’s especially disappointing given the wealth of skill-position talent on the roster. Jonathan Taylor remains one of the league’s premier running backs when healthy, capable of breaking off explosive plays and carrying the offense when needed.
At wide receiver, Michael Pittman Jr. has developed into a reliable No. 1 target, while Josh Downs adds shiftiness and route-running precision in the slot. Alec Pierce brings a vertical threat with his speed and size on the outside, offering a strong complementary option.
Rookie tight end Tyler Warren also adds intrigue to the passing attack, bringing athleticism and versatility to a position that’s been underutilized in recent seasons.
With that level of talent surrounding the quarterback, this Colts offense—at least on paper—should have little trouble consistently moving the ball and producing points. The pieces are there; it’s now up to the quarterbacks to tie it all together and capitalize on the weapons at their disposal.
How the offense performs in 2025 remains to be seen, but the quarterback room—featuring Richardson, Mac Jones, rookie Riley Leonard, and Jason Bean—must take a collective step forward if the franchise hopes to get back on track this season.