Since Anthony Richardson went down in Week 5 with a AC joint sprain, he and the Indianapolis Colts have been trying to decide the best path forward for the young quarterback. After getting several opinions, Indy put Richardson on the injured reserve (IR) list. That means Richardson would have to be sidelined until Week 10, at least. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that Richardson will be back for sure in Week 10. In fact, there’s no guarantee that Richardson returns during his rookie season at all.
The Colts have been very honest about the fact that a season-ending surgery for the shoulder is an option, and it’s starting to seem like that’s the most-likely option. On Monday evening, team owner Jim Irsay spoke with ESPN’s Stephen Holder, and told Holder that it’s likely Richardson will have surgery in the coming week and be sidelined for the rest of the year.
Will Anthony Richardson have surgery and be done for the 2023 season?
While Irsay did say that a season-ending surgery is the most-likely option, he did admit that it wasn’t a definite yet, and explained that there’s still somewhat of a debate going on to determine the best option. The organization will determine what they believe is the best path forward, but Richardson will also have to make a decision on which path he wants to take.
Ultimately, Richardson and the Colts want to choose the option that’s best for Richardson’s future. Everyone would love for him to be back on the field this year, making plays and growing, but no one wants him rushed back if it means problems down the line for him and his throwing shoulder. So if surgery is what it takes for Richardson to make a full recovery, and for his shoulder to not be a lingering issue, it’s understandable why that would be the path that Richardson and Indianapolis takes.
That would definitely be a tough blow to the team, and the Colts’ chances in 2023, but it would be best for the franchise long term. Having Richardson healthy for the next decade is much more important than getting him back on the field for a few games this season.