American Football
What's next for Anthony Richardson after the Indianapolis Colts name Daniel Jones the starting quarterback?
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The Indianapolis Colts have named Daniel Jones their starting quarterback, relegating Anthony Richardson to the bench.
In what could be construed as a damning indictment of Richardson's prospects, head coach Shane Steichen told Indystar that Jones was "the starting quarterback for the season," before adding, "I don't want to have a short leash on that."
DAZN News explores what went wrong for Richardson and his options as he looks to get his career on track.
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From early hope to a harsh reality. Where did it all go wrong for Richardson?
The NFL covets elite athleticism at every position, and as the 2023 NFL Draft approached, everyone knew Richardson had that in abundance.
The Colts, enamoured with his upside, made him the fourth overall player selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
But there were early warning signs of what has proven to be Richardson's downfall, as several draft experts criticised his inaccuracy and inconsistency.
As NFL draft analyst Lance Zeirlein put it at the time, Richardson is a "dual-threat quarterback with an elite physical profile and a lot of work that needs to be done to reach a potentially high ceiling.
"Ultimately, he will succeed or fail based on his ability to play with better post-snap recognition and deliver the football with consistency."
Unfortunately for Richardson, he hasn't demonstrated the growth the Colts were hoping to see in those areas.
Though injuries have perhaps played a part in slowing his progression, Richardson's career stats to this point make for bleak reading.
What next for Richardson?
To his credit, and in stark contrast to the comments made by his agent, Richardson has taken the news in his stride.
Only time will tell whether that maturity and professionalism will help him work his way back into the Colts' plans.
With two years remaining on his rookie contract, he may have another opportunity to stake his claim for the starting job if Indianapolis allows Jones to leave when his current deal expires in 2026, and given how brutal the NFL can be physically, it's still possible the Colts call on Richardson should Jones get hurt.
Steichen stressed they're not closing the door on Richardson.
With that said, given that the Colts have two years to evaluate the youngster before concluding that Jones, a player who was benched by the New York Giants last year after throwing 10 touchdowns to 13 interceptions in the last two seasons, was the better option, it seems Richardson's days in Indianapolis may be numbered.
Fortunately for him, his draft capital and youth - he's younger than several of the rookie quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class - should mean he gets a shot to revive his career at some point.
Until that time comes, Richardson must continue working on his craft and be ready to seize the moment when opportunity comes knocking.
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