Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson‘s first NFL season came to an unceremonious end when he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery just over a month into the year. Four months later, Richardson is continuing on the road to recovery, progressing to the point that he is now once again throwing a football, per Mike Chappell of FOX59 News.
Soon after returning from an early concussion, Richardson was once again forced out of a game in Week 5 of the season, this time with an injury to his throwing shoulder. After some deliberation, both Richardson and the team made the decision to go under the knife, putting an end to his rookie year. Two weeks after undergoing surgery, team owner Jim Irsay relayed that no new issues had emerged during his procedure, negating any need for a potential second surgery to repair his AC joint injury.
This newest update continues to demonstrate positive momentum for the 21-year-old passer. Richardson will continue inching his way back to a full recovery as the team will likely take every precaution with their investment at the quarterback position. If he continues at this pace, the hope is that Richardson will be ready to throw competitively by organized team activities and eventually, be full-go by training camp. For now, the young quarterback has been going back-and-forth between Indianapolis – where he continues to learn under the coaching staff – and Jacksonville, where his rehab is taking place.
The Colts were surprisingly able to stay competitive after losing their starting passer this year. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew even made a Pro Bowl after winning seven of his 13 starts in replacement duty. Minshew, though, is set to test free agency, so the return of Richardson in time for the season becomes that much more important.
While there still is no timeline for Richardson’s return, the progress seen by the team’s quarterback is encouraging so far. He’ll continue to rehab throughout the offseason and the team will likely reassess around OTAs.
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