Colts owner Jim Irsay shares the unique advice he gave to Anthony Richardson

Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, recently told the media the interesting advice that he gave rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson.

Jim Irsay is one of the more unique team owners in the NFL— and individuals in general. He’s always willing to speak his mind and be brutally honest, regardless of how his words may be received. That was also the case when Irsay was giving his team’s new rookie quarterback, Anthony Richardson, advice.

In a recent piece in The Athletic by James Boyd, discussing the Colts quarterback competition, Irsay shared with Boyd some of the advice he gave to the young Richardson. Jim Irsay talked about how Richardson’s size and athletic testing almost makes him like a “superhero,” however, he explained to Richardson that Indy doesn’t need him to be a superhero but a good quarterback, saying:

"We really talked more about being a great quarterback and what that really means in this league because we’re not drafting Olympic athletes. We’re drafting football players."

- Jim Irsay to James Boyd (The Athletic)

Jim Irsay wants Anthony Richardson to be a great quarterback not just a great athlete

That's tremendous advice from Jim Irsay, who wants Richardson on the field early. Despite how much of a spectacle the NFL Scouting Combine has become, it’s not playing football, which is what prospects ultimately have to be able to do in order to succeed in the NFL.

Anthony Richardson, who is 6-foot-4, 244 pounds and athletic, was expected to dominate the combine. To his credit, he did. He ran a 4.43 40-yard dash, vertical jumped 40.5 inches, and broad jumped 10 feet and nine inches. Now it’s time for him to translate this athleticism and explosiveness to the football field.

His size, speed and athleticism will make him a dangerous runner in the league, but everyone wants him to be just as dangerous from the pocket. Although it’s still early in the offseason, it looks like Richardson is on pace for that to be the case. His coaches and teammates have been raving about his on-field performance from the first week of OTAs.

He must continue to impress throughout the offseason and keep developing. If Richardson can bring everything together, he’ll be an elite athlete and an elite quarterback.

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