Anthony Richardson started his career with the Indianapolis Colts in 2023, and it initially looked promising. Devastating injuries put an end to that, though, and in 2024, he seemed to seriously regress. He is still considered QB1 for 2025, though it's known that this will be his last chance, and even now, his job isn't entirely secure.
Richardson seems to be taking this now-or-never ultimatum seriously; he's already begun practicing, before the official offseason practice schedule has started, and he has announced plans to work with Chris Hess, the biometric specialist responsible for Josh Allen's success.
But in a surprising turn of events, it appears that Richardson won't just be working with Hess, but with Allen himself.
Latest on Anthony Richardson and #Colts 2025 QB plan after GM Chris Ballard’s open competition comments.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) February 27, 2025
Insight into Richardson’s ongoing training sessions for 1st full NFL offseason focused on just ball and end of year meetings with Colts.
For @nflnetwork The Insiders: pic.twitter.com/qQPyBptv0U
There have been many comparisons between Allen and Richardson; both are elite athletes with enormous power and potential, and both struggled heavily during their first full seasons in the NFL. Like Richardson, Allen initially struggled with his accuracy and efficiency, frequently missing throws and getting picked. Allen has credited Hess with the dramatic improvement fans saw, which ultimately led him to become, arguably, the best quarterback in the league right now.
The NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe confirmed that Richardson has already begun working out, and that he's working with Hess. The surprise is that Allen himself will be practicing with him, too.
"He's been working out since January 20th in Jacksonville with his quarterback coaches, Will Hewlett, Tom Gormley, and Chris Hess, the mechanics coach. And one thing to watch, he's also going to work out with Josh Allen, I'm told, this off season. Josh Allen went through some mechanical changes early in his career that helped him evolve into the MVP that we just saw."Cameron Wolfe
Wolfe also explained that a big concern for Indianapolis is Richardson's ability to stay healthy and play through an entire season.
"I wanna dive into a little bit about the meetings that the Colts had with Richardson and his agent Deiric Jackson," Wolfe said. "The big for them was health. You gotta stay healthy for Richardson. He's started just 15 games in his two seasons. Winning record but has to stay healthy. His team took accountability, Richardson took accountability."
There's clearly still a lot to be concerned about with Richardson, but it's also clear that he's taking the situation seriously. He seems committed to doing whatever he can to improve, and the fact that he's working with both Chris Hess and Josh Allen is very big news for Colts fans - and should provide a little bit of hope and encouragement regarding the future of their QB.