Will Anthony Richardson Sr. be available to save Colts after brutal Daniel Jones injury?

The Indianapolis Colts lost more than just a game when they endured a 36-19 defeat against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. While the Jaguars grabbed sole possession of first place in the AFC South standings, Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. 

Rookie Riley Leonard took over for Jones because Week 1 backup Anthony Richardson Sr. is recovering from an orbital fracture that he suffered during a pregame warmup ahead of Indianapolis' Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals. It sounds like Colts fans hoping Richardson could swoop in and potentially save the club this month may want to put such dreams to bed.

When may Anthony Richardson Sr. return for Colts?

"Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Richardson — who suffered an orbital fracture prior to the Week 6 game against the Cardinals — has not been cleared to return," Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio revealed late Monday morning. "Moreover, the Colts don’t know when or if he’ll be cleared at any point in 2025." 

Richardson lost the starting job to Jones during a summer competition, and the 2023 first-round draft pick attempted only two passes this season before he was sidelined. Over his first two pro campaigns, he went 8-7 across 15 regular-season starts. 

As for Leonard, he completed 18-of-29 passes for 145 yards with no touchdowns and an interception against the Jaguars. He also rushed for a score. The 2025 sixth-round draft pick is now on track to start when the 8-5 Colts play at the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 14. 

Could Anthony Richardson Sr. play during the postseason?

As of Monday afternoon, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the 9-4 Jaguars a 62.0% chance to claim the AFC South division crown. ESPN had the 8-5 Houston Texans at 33.8% odds, followed by the Colts at 4.2%. At that same time, ESPN gave the Colts a 30.1% chance to qualify for the playoffs. 

"Richardson remains under contract through 2026," Florio added. "But it’s up in the air, at best, as to whether he’ll be able to play in any of the final four regular-season games or any postseason games."

Florio's update indicates those within the Colts are planning for Leonard to serve as the club's QB1 through Week 18. On Monday, DraftKings Sportsbook had Indianapolis as a massive 11.5-point road underdog against Seattle.