No fan of the Indianapolis Colts would deny that Anthony Richardson had a rough season in 2024. He was benched mid-season, struggled with accuracy, and had several injuries - all of which have had many people questioning how long Richardson's career in the NFL can really be.
It's clear that the 2025 season will be a make-or-break one for Richardson, who will need to prove that he's capable of improving; this means an offseason full of hard work. But even that got significantly harder, considering Richardson ended the season with a debilitating back injury.
In Week 17, head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson would be unable to play, due to "soreness." In reality, he had a disc issue that caused back spasms so bad, he couldn't even walk. Richardson wasn't able to play in Week 18, and his season ended on another unfortunate note. Though Richardson said at the time that he didn't believe he would need surgery, it still raised more questions about just how much he would be able to accomplish in the offseason.
Thankfully, according to ESPN's Stephen Holder, Richardson is already back at work.
"According to multiple sources, Richardson has already resumed throwing in the two weeks since the season ended. He's also back performing football movements. His offseason training isn't underway in earnest just yet -- that starts in the next couple of weeks -- but no lingering issues with the back are anticipated."Stephen Holder
Holder also reported on what may have caused the back problem to be so severe: an orthotic walking boot Richardson had been wearing, which put pressure on his back and exacerbated the disc issue. General manager Chris Ballard reported that Richardson is going into the offseason healthy, and that they believe they can avoid the issue going forward.
This is vital for Richardson; he will need to be working harder than he's ever worked in order to improve enough to be the leader this Indianapolis team needs.
It's already been made clear that the Colts will be bringing in competition at quarterback, so while Richardson is the presumed starter for now, there's no guarantee of that in the future. It's do-or-die time, so hearing that he's already been putting work in, before official offseason training has even begun, is a small, but positive, sign.