As Anthony Richardson prepares for the NFL, he recently joked with the media when asked to described his experience so far in the NFL.
Anthony Richardson has been hard at work since being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. While everyone has been asking when Richardson will make his first start, Richardson has had his head in the playbook and is focused on becoming a better quarterback.
However, everyone knows it can’t be all hard work and no play. Richardson reminded everyone of that when he spoke with the media on Tuesday during Indy’s minicamp. After being asked about his early experience of being an NFL QB and adjusting to the league, Richardson quoted a great philosopher and former NFL running back, Marshawn Lynch, saying, “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”
Naturally, the room of media members erupted into laughter. Richardson quickly explained that he was just kidding and that he told his mother he would start his press conference like that.
Anthony Richardson’s got jokes. 😂 pic.twitter.com/Pq5heInimb
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) June 13, 2023
Anthony Richardson is having fun with Colts as he prepares for NFL
After the laughter, Richardson discussed what the NFL has been like for him so far. The biggest takeaway is that it’s been a lot of work. Explaining that Indianapolis is now home, a place he wants to be home forever, Richardson admitted that he hasn’t seen much of the city because all he’s been seeing is his playbook.
The rookie is spending a lot of time at the facility trying to become a better quarterback both physically and mentally. Although he’s a unique athlete, he understands that it’ll take more than that to thrive in the NFL. He explained that pretty much everyone in the league are elite athletes, and that’s why he knows he “can’t just be a freak athlete who throws the ball far.”
One of the experiences that helped Richardson learn that was his first red zone day with the Colts. He told the media that he realized “how small windows are and how fast the defense is,” and that he sees “how small the margin of error is now.”
It’s great that Richardson is learning these lessons now as he works through his ups and downs in practice. The growth will, of course, continue into training camp, and even into the season and throughout his career. However, the hope is that Richardson can learn some tough lessons and develop enough so that he can start Week 1 and help the Colts win games.