The Indianapolis Colts faced a Week 6 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals without backup quarterback Anthony Richardson. In most NFL situations, missing QB2 is not a reason for discussion. As long as QB1 doesn't get hurt, the world is fine and good.
Richardson, as all Indy football fans know, is a different case. The number four overall draft pick in 2023 has not panned out. It would almost be better if he were a jerk. He isn't. As far as being a human being, Richardson is perfectly OK.
That makes it more difficult to root against him if one were so inclined. He's taken Indianapolis's money and not played well. For some, that is a good enough reason to dislike him personally. That is a bit silly. Judging a person one doesn't know isn't a good thing to do.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson can't stop getting injured
Plus, what has hindered Richardson as a quarterback besides mostly bad play is the ease with which he gets hurt. Even before Daniel Jones earned the starting quarterback duties in Indianapolis, AR5 had missed 19 of a possible 34 games, mostly because he was hurt.
It wasn't just one injury, either. Richardson has had plenty of them. Since joining the NFL, he's had a concussion, a shoulder sprain (twice), a hip sprain, a back muscle pull, and a dislocated finger. He outdid himself this season by rarely playing but still getting injured in Week 6 pregame warmups.
Anthony Richardson hurt his eye. He wasn't going to start anyway, of course, as Daniel Jones was, but Indianapolis still made him inactive. If something had happened to Jones, the Colts would have been in even worse shape than had Richardson been forced to play. Riley Leonard was QB2.
The Indianapolis Colts have a few reasons to be leery of thinking of ever making Richardson the starting quarterback again. Daniel Jones will have to be re-signed in free agency to keep him around, but should he leave, the team still needs to move on from Richardson.
He has been terrible and inefficient on the field, but he cannot be relied upon to stay healthy even in seasons like 2025, when the only times he plays are in scrub time. Like Anthony Richardson the person, but Colts fans might want to start forgetting about Richardson the quarterback. His rookie deal is up in 2026, and that should be his last in Indy.