Colts' Anthony Richardson seems to have learned from 2024 benching

Long before the Indianapolis Colts signed quarterback Daniel Jones in free agency this past March, Colts head coach Shane Steichen benched 2023 first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson for a pair of contests last fall after Richardson admitted to taking himself out of a game because he was "tired."

While reflecting on his second pro season, Richardson spoke honestly about why he finds himself competing with Jones for the Indianapolis starting job this summer. 

"I didn’t do enough, you know? That was the big thing for me," Richardson explained. "I didn’t do enough. I wanted to take a deeper dive into understanding myself and what I needed to improve on. After that last game, whenever that was, I told myself I can’t be slacking anymore. I’ve got to lock in."

After Richardson returned to the lineup, multiple stories noted how the Colts wanted the 23-year-old to be "a much more prepared quarterback" and show that he could become "a pro's pro." It seems such messages landed before Richardson reported for training camp this summer. 

"I feel like last year, I knew the offense. Now, I’m trying to master it," he said. "If coach wants me to be up in the meeting room teaching (the offense), I feel like I want to get to that point where coach can sit down and be like, 'AR, come up and teach this play for me.'"

Such comments don't erase the fact that injuries limited Richardson to 15 starts out of 32 games (minus the benching) over his first two pro campaigns. Additionally, Pro Football Reference stats show that he finished the 2024 season ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 61.6 passer rating. 

"I feel like I’ve got more control of the ball now," Richardson said about where he is in late July compared to where he was last season. "I feel like I can deliver the ball, but I’ve also been taking a deeper dive into the offense, trying to understand it more. Whenever I’m moving in the pocket, I’m like, 'Okay, I know this is the coverage right here and this guy is going to be popping open here.' So, I need to make sure my base is there, and when I see that guy, just make sure I get the ball to him."

Jones allegedly "lost ground" in the quarterback competition early into training camp. As of Wednesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Richardson as a -350 betting favorite to start Indianapolis' Week 1 game versus the Miami Dolphins over Jones (+255 odds).

"I just think eventually Anthony’s going to be who we think he can be," Colts general manager Chris Ballard recently told Zak Keefer of The Athletic. "I still believe that. Whether that’s this year or next, I don’t know when it’s going to happen."

The Colts could go in a different direction regarding the sport's most important position if Richardson doesn't prove Ballard right by the time January 2026 arrives.