As Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson adjusts to the NFL, a surprising veteran teammate has taken Richardson under his wing.
Since being drafted fourth-overall by the Indianapolis Colts. Richardson has been getting a ton of advice from people that’s done what he’s trying to do: be great in the NFL. The Colts sat Richardson and the rest of the rookies down with franchise legends Edgerrin James and Antoine Bethea, and Richardson also had a couple of chats with Tom Brady, including a lunch with the other top rookie quarterbacks, Brady, Michael Rubin, and Travis Scott.
Adjusting to the NFL is tough, so Richardson is making sure to get advice from wherever he can. While everyone on the Colts is helping Richardson grow, the rookie recently revealed which veteran teammate has taken him under their wing the most, and the answer is a bit surprising.
In a recent interview with Swamp247, Richardson admitted that he has a ton of people helping him but said “One guy that’s definitely been helping me a lot, and helped me retain my perspective on how I do my job, is Zaire Franklin.” In Richardson’s short time with Indianapolis, the veteran linebacker has had an impact on him.
Zaire Franklin is helping Anthony Richardson prepare for the NFL
Richardson went on to say that Franklin is “a great leader and he’s kind of taking me under his wing, making sure I’m good for the season.” He explained that their relationship started when Franklin reached out to him and welcomed him to the team after he was drafted. It has since grown to a place where Franklin is giving Richardson pointers on what he can do on the football field.
Zaire Franklin, who’s entering his sixth season, is coming off his best year as a pro, setting a Colts record for most tackles in a single season with 167. The linebacker has been extremely complimentary of Richardson since competing against him in OTAs and minicamp. He’s said that Richardson has a chance to be special and emphasized how challenging it will be for defenses when Richardson is at QB.
These two, along with the rest of the team will return for training camp in late July to compete against each other and get ready for the season. It’s great to see that they’ve already built a good relationship, despite being on opposite sides of the ball. As they compete daily, they should be able to push each other to get better, and help elevate the entire team.