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Stephen Holder, ESPN
INDIANAPOLIS — When Anthony Richardson became the NFL’s fourth overall draft pick in 2023, there was no doubt that he intended to become the Indianapolis Colts’ franchise quarterback.
Still, there was another undeniable reality: Richardson’s thin college résumé of 13 starts called into question how quickly he could become an effective NFL starter.
Questions about the outlook for Richardson were met with cautious answers from team officials. And the spring signing of veteran Gardner Minshew meant Indianapolis had a viable option if the rookie demonstrated he needed time to develop.
“Don’t crown him yet,” general manager Chris Ballard said on the night Richardson was selected. “He’s a young player. He’s got work to do.”
But just more than two weeks into training camp, the Colts did, in fact, crown Richardson. They named him their starting quarterback after one preseason start, with Richardson displaying an ability to handle the job only a few months after his 21st birthday.
Flash forward a full year and Richardson enters 2024 as one of the primary faces of the franchise. The Colts are leaning all the way into Richardson, marketing him with more consistency than any other player on the roster. His teammates have treated him accordingly, showing him the same deference they might an accomplished, veteran quarterback. And the Colts think he has so much potential that their offseason team-building strategy was based largely on the idea that his return from a season-ending shoulder injury from last year would propel the franchise in 2024.
Just one year and four starts since he was drafted, Richardson’s status as the key to the Colts’ future could not be more secure. On Sept. 8 against the Houston Texans, Richardson is set to become the Colts’ first quarterback to start consecutive season openers since Andrew Luck in 2015 and 2016.
“Last year was so much,” he said. “… So much that I had to take on, so much I put on myself. I’m the quarterback, so I wanted to be the best version of myself for the team.
“Now, I get to relax and focus.”
That’s not to say Richardson plans on letting up. He has showed himself to be a willing and vocal leader who is walking and talking the part of a franchise quarterback.
And the buy-in from his teammates is there not only because they respect Richardson’s work ethic but also because he is a unique talent with elite potential. The Colts point to performances such as last season’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, in which Richardson had some early struggles and Indianapolis trailed 23-0 before he spearheaded a 23-point second-half rally (the Colts ultimately fell in overtime).
Through it all, Richardson proved unfazed.
“He’s very even-keeled,” Ballard said. “He’s got a great temperament, which I like. I don’t want to say it’s a naivete, but it almost is. That’s not a negative. I think sometimes you just think you belong.
“He is very poised.”
What the Colts are looking for in 2024 is growth and consistency from Richardson. He can be hit-and-miss on quicker, shorter throws, despite being surprisingly accurate on his deeper attempts. Additionally, recognizing coverages and making fast decisions are things that require patience with every young quarterback.
But even while that process is ongoing, there are few questions about Richardson’s importance to the Colts. He’s firmly entrenched in his role heading into Year 2. The question is no longer whether he can do the job, but rather, how much his rare talents can lift the team.
“I can’t be more excited to get him back going again,” coach Shane Steichen said. “His limited sample size that he had in those first five weeks [of 2023] were impressive. He made some plays that I’ve never seen guys make. And to get him back going in training camp and get him through a full season, I couldn’t be more excited about that.”