It’s just not working out for Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. The Colts need to find a new home for the Florida Gators signal caller that they drafted fourth overall in 2023.
What has gone so wrong for him, thus far, in his NFL career? Why isn’t he adjusting better?
“The difference between the colleges and the pros is the speed,” Richardson said in an exclusive with RG. “Sometimes in college, not everyone is fast. But in the pros, I feel everyone is fast. You got big, strong guys like that running at you every time. You’re just taking the hits — you always have that in mind. But I’d say the speed of the game [is the biggest difference].”
Anthony Richardson, who has completed just 50.2% of his passes over the course of his career, started just six games this season, before getting benched for the 39-year-old Joe Flacco.
Richardson, who started four games as a rookie, before getting injured, has tossed 7 touchdown passes, versus 8 interceptions across two seasons, has a passer rating of 68.8 for his NFL career.
However, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell believes in him though, given what he directly said to Anthony Richardson. Their interaction was recorded and published on NFL Films.
“Hey, do me a favor and remember something,” O’Connell said to Richardson.
“You’re a bad dude, and you’re going to play a long time in this league. Go to work every day. Good things will happen for you. I still believe in you. I know these guys do. [Colts coach] Shane [Steichen] does too. Man, this organization loves you. Go to work.”
So maybe he’ll get traded to Minnesota? Most likely no, as they just drafted J.J. McCarthy, but Richardson will end up somewhere.
O’Connell was asked about his little meeting with the benched Colts QB during his Friday press briefing.
“I wanted to let him know how I felt,” O’Connell told the media
“And whether it meant something to him, or not, didn’t matter. And I think it’s a good thing for everybody in society to do.
“If you’ve got the ability to help somebody else in circumstances that maybe as they’re working through it are less than ideal, but there is a road and a path — a rather large one in my opinion to him having have a very, very successful NFL career — [you should].”
So what will become of Anthony Richardson? He might be asked to switch positions, which is very common for black quarterbacks. Most likely it would be to WR, but there is a chance he could switch to DB or RB.
Whenever a NFL coach/scout/executive tries to make a black QB switch positions, it could work on a couple levels- one is normal/innocent enough, but the other level is sinister.
If you’re a generation x or older, then you can probably recall the quasi-institutionalized racism within the sport against black quarterbacks.
It really wasn’t until the 2002-2003 NFL season that see saw a major turning point against this type of discrimination and prejudice. That’s when ESPN fired Rush Limbaugh from their NFL pregame show after he said “the media [is] biased in favor of” black quarterbacks, referencing Donovan McNabb.
Limbaugh further stated that the press was giving all credit, for the team’s achievements, to McNabb, because “the media have been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”
The fact that Limbaugh was fired, almost immediately, conveys just how much progress had been made at that point. However, the fact that Limbaugh held that position, and felt empowered enough to make a racist statement like that, shows you how far we still had to go, and that was only 20 years ago.
In other words, sometimes, when a black QB is being asked to switch positions, there might be a racist connotation to it. But right now, the best quarterback on the planet is black, and that’s Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
Anthony Richardson needs to do what’s best for him, in order to get and stay on the field, regardless of where he plays. But he’s a QB, and should continue trying to make it as a QB.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.