Colts' Anthony Richardson made big changes to help save his job: 'I had to'

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson recently acknowledged he "can’t be slacking anymore" coming off last fall's two-game benching after he admitted to taking himself off the field because he was "tired." 

Richardson shared he lost 10 pounds during the offseason after making some necessary changes to his diet, via ESPN's Stephen Holder.

"I had to cut the sweets out, man," Richardson admitted. "It's the candy. I used to be big on Skittles and all that stuff, just eating candy all the time. So, I've been just trying to cut out the sugary stuff and hydrate more. I need to be more of a pro when it comes to my eating."

The revelation comes after Colts general manager Chris Ballard expressed having "regret" with a big decision regarding Richardson.

One can only guess what the Colts would've done with Richardson had veteran Joe Flacco played better in what became a pair of losses in November. Shortly after Indianapolis signed Daniel Jones in March, it was speculated whether the Colts would field calls regarding Richardson's services. 

No such deal occurred, and Richardson may now find himself on track to serve as Indianapolis' Week 1 starter. Of course, being a bit slimmer won't fix all that ailed him over his first two pro campaigns. Outside of the benching, injuries have limited the 2023 first-round draft pick to just 15 total regular-season starts.  

Additionally, Richardson finished the 2024 season ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 61.6 passer rating. According to Holder, the 23-year-old spent portions of the offseason working "on technical aspects" of his game, such as his footwork, in an attempt to become a more accurate passer. 

"His accuracy on the quicker, shorter throws that have been problematic for him is improving," Holder added about Richardson. "He's also shown himself to be more decisive."

As of Friday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Richardson as a -350 betting favorite to start the Colts' Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins over Jones (+255 odds). Richardson will get an opportunity to show off his improved mechanics when Indianapolis opens the preseason at the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 7.