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Anthony Richardson gets demoted by Colts

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 12:08 PM ET

The end of the Anthony Richardson era with the Indianapolis Colts may come even sooner than anticipated.

Richardson was the primary backup for the Colts through the first five weeks of the season after being beaten out by Daniel Jones for the starting job. But on Sunday, the former No. 4 overall pick was inactive.

The Colts made Richardson a healthy scratch for their Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Riley Leonard was active as Indy’s No. 2 quarterback behind Jones.

Reporters who cover the Colts were surprised by the decision from head coach Shane Steichen.

News: The Colts are listing Anthony Richardson Sr. as their inactive third QB. This was not anticipated whatsoever.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 12, 2025

Jones has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season and is unlikely to lose his starting job to anything other than an injury. He led the Colts to a 4-1 record entering Sunday’s game and was third in the NFL with 1,290 passing yards. Jones accounted for 9 total touchdowns and had just 2 interceptions through the first five games of the season.

Richardson has 11 touchdown passes compared to 13 interceptions in 15 career games and has struggled to stay healthy. He is still just 23, and there was talk prior to the season that he could be traded.

It is unclear if Richardson has any trade value at this point, but the former Florida star’s future with the Colts is now more in doubt than ever.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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