Despite losing to the Houston Texans in a nail-biting 29-27 loss in Week 1, the Colts still had plenty to be optimistic about... namely, the talent displayed by starting quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Richardson spent most of last season injured, and fans were excited to see what he could do when he was healthy. And he delivered. Richardson threw multiple 50+ yard passes, including one notable 60 yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce after slipping and nearly falling on the turf.
The Colts may have lost, but Richardson's future looks bright. Yet what one anonymous NFL exec had to say about Richardson will make your jaw drop.
Not Legitimate?
The Athletic interviewed five NFL executives, saying their backgrounds were in "personnel evaluation to contracts/salary cap and analytics/strategy," and had them rank each NFL team. The Colts came in at #13, with the largest gap between highest and lowest votes for any team in the AFC. But shockingly, one of the execs had a surprising take on Richardson.
“By putting the Colts at 15, I am saying I do not think Anthony Richardson is a legitimate quarterback in the NFL, but if he does have success, they will be one of the top four or five teams in the AFC," the unnamed executive said.
Richardson is the Real Deal
This is an insane take on Richardson, who - despite only having played a handful of games in the NFL - has already showcased serious potential, strength, and talent. In the five games Richardson has played, he has amassed a whopping 981 yards and 10 touchdowns. He scored fourth-best in the league for fantasy points in Week 1, and under Richardson's leadership, the Colts offense scored four touchdowns in just 20 minutes of possession.
Richardson has long been known to have the ability to run, but Sunday's game against the Texans proved that he has a monster arm, too. There are things that he needs to work on - his accuracy, for example - but it should be remembered that Richardson is still a young QB. This is, for all intents and purposes, his first season in the NFL. Saying that an athlete with this much talent and power is not a legitimate quarterback is an absolutely mind-boggling opinion.
As Adonai Mitchell pointed out in an interview with the Athletic,
“Every time I sit there and think, I’m like, ‘Dawg, this dude is four months older than me,'” Mitchell said. “The youngest (starting) quarterback in the NFL right now and making the plays he’s making in only Game 1. It’s like man, ‘We’re in pretty good shape here.’”