(Image via Getty: Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson) After an open competition for the starting quarterback position at the Indianapolis Colts in March 2025, Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson have come a long way. The Colts chose Jones, but he suffered a torn Achilles tendon after a promising start to the season. Richardson still was not given a chance [he was not cleared for football activities due to severe eye injury], even though he had been with the team since 2023. Instead, they turned to Philip Rivers, who had retired and was coaching. Now, nothing has changed for Richardson. ESPN’s Stephen Holder believes the Colts has decided that re-signing Jones and relying on him as their starting quarterback, despite his torn Achilles in early December, is the best option.
What happens to 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson now?
According to ESPN’s sources, there has been no trade request from Richardson. However, multiple sources question whether he has a future with the franchise. The Florida Gators alumnus was benched in 2024, served as backup to Daniel Jones in 2025, played just five snaps, and landed on injured reserve after a freak pregame warmup accident that left him with a fractured orbital bone and an eye injury. The Colts have not decided on his future, but they have made no commitment either. When general manager Chris Ballard was asked recently, he said, “That’s a fair question. We’ll kind of see going forward how that ends up playing out.” Head coach Shane Steichen has given a similar response. When owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon was recently asked about Richardson’s future, she said, “I’m going to stay in my lane on that one. I feel horrible for Anthony with the injuries that he’s had to endure, and I know, [Chris Ballard] and [Shane Steichen] are going to do the right thing.” Probable translation: It is entirely their call. When Richardson was recently asked about his future, he said, “I haven’t thought about my future here because I don’t see anything wrong. Setbacks happen. The injury to my eye, that kind of happened. So that kind of dictated what happened throughout the season. But I haven’t really put too much thought into anything because I’ve been taking it day-by-day and just working.” With his dedication and positive outlook, the GM and head coach may decide to keep him, but likely as a backup to Daniel Jones. Jones is currently positioned as the face of the franchise, after a promising start last season. Holder recently reported that the Colts intend to continue with their current coach [Steichen], general manager [Ballard], and quarterback [Jones] for the 2026 season.