If Anthony Richardson Is Content With Losing QB Competition, Why Is His Agent Giving Quotes to ESPN?

Anthony Richardson recently learned, along with the rest of us, that he will not be the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback in Week 1 of the 2025 season. And not only that, head coach Shane Steichen felt it necessary to emphasize that Richardson’s replacement, Daniel Jones, wasn’t just the Week 1 starter, but the starter for the season. Ouch.

It’s not like Richardson has done much to really convince them he’s the guy, though. He makes one otherworldly throw every once in a while, but beyond that, he doesn’t inspire confidence. His two most notable plays from the preseason were a sack that nearly got him seriously injured and a downfield dime that turned out to be the wrong throw after looking at the tape (the whee l route, which was likely hot, was wide open for a touchdown).

After learning of the decision, Richardson was surrounded by a scrum of reporters. In that situation, as a human, it would be understandable to express some anger and frustration. However, he remained magnanimous.

“You gotta respect the decision. They feel like [Jones is] a better fit for the team, a better fit for the outcome of us winning. You just gotta respect it and keep working. It doesn’t undermine any of the other work I’ve been putting in … it doesn’t say that I haven’t improved. I’m proud of the improvement I’ve made,” Richardson said.

He added that there aren’t any “hard feelings” about the decision and that he knows he must not let it affect how he views himself as a person or a player.

“[Steichen] made a decision,” he said. “That’s the decision we’ve got to live with, but no hard feelings, nothing personal. I’ve just got to keep growing. I just can’t let me not being a starter stop me from going and being the person, the player that I’m supposed to be.”