Despite the current joy surrounding the 8-6 Indianapolis Colts, and the optimism about the team possibly making the playoffs, the team and the fan base were devastated when rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5. Richardson was also devastated, as his exciting rookie year came to an end after just a few games.
Since undergoing surgery to his throwing shoulder to repair a sprained AC joint, Anthony Richardson has returned to Indianapolis and has been with the team as he continues the mental part of his development. On Tuesday, he stopped by Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. In addition to spending time with patients, having fun, singing Christmas carols, and playing video games, Richardson took time to speak with reporters, updating everyone on his rehab.
Richardson once again explained that surgery was the best option for his long-term health and that doctors explained that he’d be able to start throwing again four months after surgery. It has only been two months since his procedure, so Richardson has some time to go. However, the young quarterback believes he’s progressing through his rehab faster than expected and wants to beat the timeline given by doctors.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson took time on his day off to visit kids at Riley Children’s Hospital!💙❤️@GVOaant pic.twitter.com/KrBYWqrGa9
— Colts Community (@coltscommunity) December 19, 2023
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson hoping to be ahead of schedule with recovery
While Richardson is working hard to beat the timeline, he’s taking full advantage of the opportunity to learn from the sidelines. Of course, Richardson would rather be on the field, but he explained, “Sometimes it sucks that I have to sit back and watch, but sometimes the best thing you can do is sit back and watch.”
That's exactly what Richardson has been doing since returning to Indianapolis after surgery. The rookie quarterback is frequently spotted on game days near head coach Shane Steichen or quarterback Gardner Minshew. Richardson is making sure to take in as much as possible, developing mentally so that he’s better prepared when he can actually get back on the field.
While his best development will come from playing, Richardson has already shown enough in his short stint on the field to have Colts fans, and the NFL world in general, excited about his return. In just 173 snaps over four games, Anthony Richardson completed 59.5% of his passes for 577 yards, three touchdowns, and just one interception. On the ground, Richardson carried the ball 25 times for 136 yards and four additional touchdowns.
He was already way ahead of schedule in his development and made all his pre-draft critiques null. The only problem that seemed present in his first four games was his ability to stay healthy. While there’s only so much one can do to stay healthy in a physical sport like football, Richardson is prepared to do it all so that he can be on the field with the Colts next season.