Anthony Richardson–Colts Relationship ‘Fractured’ After Daniel Jones Named QB1

The Indianapolis Colts drew some controversy after they signed Daniel Jones in the offseason. Many felt he would be the perfect backup as Anthony Richardson continues to grow into the franchise QB he was expected to be.

Fast forward to now, and that situation has flipped on its head. The Colts announced that they were naming the former New York Giants QB as their QB1.

This means Richardson will be his backup until Jones does something terrible enough to lose his starting job. It also means that the 2023 No. 4 overall pick has to start from scratch if he wants to win back his job as the franchise QB.

The Colts can’t be faulted for this decision, as Daniel Jones has performed consistently in the preseason and seems to have a chip on his shoulder after being the scapegoat amidst the Giants’ struggles.

On top of that, they believe Anthony Richardson needs time to learn the nuances of the position before taking over. However, this decision came under fire from his agent, Deiric Jackson.

Trust is a big factor, and that is, at best, questionable right now. Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp.

Deiric Jackson, as quoted by Stephen Holder

Stephen Holder‘s article on ESPN reveals that Jackson ‘stopped short of demanding a trade’. He also wondered if Colts head coach Shane Steichen had this plan in place when he signed Daniel Jones to his 1-year, $14 million contract.

Colts locker room tilting towards Daniel Jones

It is not clear if Anthony Richardson’s bizarre substitution demand last season played a hand in this decision. He came under fire from every perceivable angle, but continued to soldier on and has worked towards improving his feel for the quarterback position.

However, many felt that the incident could have had some ramifications in the locker room. It is still not clear if that is the case, but wide receiver Adonai Mitchell‘s praise for Daniel Jones raised some eyebrows.

Smart football player. Very demanding at quarterback. He’ll kinda tell you what he wants you to do. It’s an open dialogue. His work ethic is phenomenal. Just looking forward to carrying that through the season.

Adonai Mitchell said to Anthony Calhoun

Calhoun noted on his tweet that the WR was not the only player to be impressed with Jones’ work ethic. If this is the mood in that Colts’ locker room, it seems the team has tilted towards the 28-year-old QB.