The Indianapolis Colts Just Made Their Anthony Richardson Decision

Why This Decision Was Important

While Richardson requested a trade earlier in the offseason, Indianapolis wasn’t able to get a deal that was the best offered to them, which would have made them feel confident enough to move on from him despite having Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback.

While remaining the backup might not be Richardson’s preferred outcome, he already knows Shane Steichen’s offense and can continue to develop in a familiar situation. Richardson already showed signs of growth throughout the preseason, especially in the final game against the Detroit Lions as he completed seven of his 10 pass attempts for 80 yards.

If Richardson embraces another season of development while improving his accuracy and decision-making, he will have better opportunities awaiting him. For the Colts, this gives them the ideal backup situation behind Jones for 2026 as he continues to work back from the Achilles tear he suffered.