Anthony Richardson just turned 23, but the clock is already ticking for him with the Indianapolis Colts.
Unfair as it is, Richardson's time in the NFL has done little for him or the Colts, as injuries have essentially robbed him of what amounts to one of his two professional seasons. It seems a lifetime ago that his record-setting relative athletic score (RAS) spiked his draft stock enough for the Colts to take him with the fourth pick in 2023. To his and the Colts' credit, Richardson still remains the third-best quarterback of the class, behind Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud (though the bar is literally six feet in the ground, the class itself is revolting).
And when healthy, Richardson has been most of what many predicted he'd be, good and bad. With just 11 starts during the 2025 season, Richardson fell just short of the top five rushing quarterbacks in total yards, with top 5 finishes in per game yardage and touchdowns. In that time, Richardson also completed less than 50% of his passes, had a 8:12 Pass TD/INT ratio, and a QBR of 61.6. For reference, the corpse of Joe Flacco, Richardson's backup, eclipsed him in every single one of those stats in fewer starts. You know who else did the same?
Mac. Jones.
And if Richardson had any idea of coasting through to the top of the depth chart after Flacco left to join the Cleveland Browns, the Colts dashed that all when they signed recently waived Daniel Jones.
Anthony Richardson must win training camp battle to prove Colts' belief in QB is warranted
Yes, Daniel Jones had a laughable stint in New York, especially towards the end. Yes, he looks like he's constantly remembering that he left the oven on at home. But his career really only looks terrible in context: New York spent the #6 pick on him, and then foisted $145 million on his extension at the expense of All-Pro running back (and subsequent Super Bowl winner at the heart of rival Philadelphia) Saquon Barkley.
But in a vacuum, Jones still profiles as a quarterback with rushing upside who also beats out Richardson in career completion percentage (63.3%), Pass TD/INT ratio (8:7), and QBR (79.4). The Pro Football Network also notes that Jones could probably serve as a better fit in the Shane Steichen system that catapulted Hurts and the Eagles when he served as their OC.
There's also the changing of the guard at the top of Indianapolis' leadership to consider. Richardson was a Jim Irsay pick, and with his passing, it's not a stretch to think that Carlie Irsay-Gordon would be open to rocking the boat a little bit in the name of making her mark.
Irsay-Gordon said that the team still has time to determine if the Richardson is the answer at quarterback, but stressed that he needs to have a sense of urgency.
"Where he is in his career and in his deal as a rookie, we still have time," Irsay-Gordon says. "He still has time to prove it...Bring a sense of urgency. And nothing brings a sense of urgency more than competition."
All in all, Anthony Richardson is up against the wall to keep the starting job he was drafted to hold. PFSN's speculation on Daniel Jones also made note that Jones has already logged in a sizeable amount of first team reps through the offseason, which only compounds concerns around Richardson's status. So if Richardson is buying into his own hype, he'd better check himself -- because losing out to Daniel Jones is a horrible look for any former top 5 pick.