The first three years of Anthony Richardson's NFL career did not go according to plan. He has another chance to prove himself with the Indianapolis Colts in 2026, but it will come as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart rather than the starter. Coach Shane Steichen announced on Thursday that Richardson won the battle with Riley Leonard for the backup job behind Daniel Jones.
Both Richardson and Leonard made strong impressions on the coaching staff in training camp, so it was the difference in preseason production that separated the former from the latter, according to Steichen. Richardson went 21-for-33 for 249 yards through the air in three preseason games while Leonard went 20-for-42 for 199 yards. Neither threw a touchdown while Richardson tossed one interception and Leonard accounted for two.
While both offer plus running ability, only Richardson made a meaningful impact in that regard during the exhibition contests. His highlight came in the opener when he took six carries for 53 yards and a score. To do all of that after a string of three consecutive season-ending injuries was the bounce back the Colts were looking for from their backup.
"He's grown a ton just as an individual," Steichen said. "A young player in this league, learning, going through adversity, going through uncontrollable things, injuries that he's had to battle through. Like we've said all along, he's a very talented player.
He stuck with it and kept grinding." Of course, the original goal was for Richardson to become the Colts' franchise quarterback. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft holds just 15 career starts and has never been anything more than a subpar passer, which relegates him to the backup job in the final year of his rookie contract. When it became clear that the Colts wanted to hitch their wagons to Jones instead of Richardson, the team granted the former Florida Gator permission to seek a trade.
There was never any guarantee that Indianapolis would receive anything of value in return for a quarterback whose stock has fallen immensely since 2023, though, and no deal emerged. Instead, they will give him another chance to carve out a future as a backup. Richardson shifted his focus to making the most of however much time he has left in Indianapolis, even if that means accepting a No. 2 role.
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