Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was one of the biggest “what if” stories of the 2023 NFL season. After the Colts drafted him with the fourth overall pick, the 22-year-old went down with a season-ending shoulder injury after just four starts.
However, Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard said that the young signal-caller is fully healthy, via “The GM Shuffle” podcast.
“He'll be full go,” Ballard assured. “He was full go all the way up until the last day of OTAs, and we had two heavy throwing sessions the two days before, and so we backed off a little on the last day.”
Ballard's optimistic outlook comes after reports of Richardson suffering shoulder soreness earlier in June, as well as sitting out the final day of minicamp. However, that was just a precautionary measure, and the soreness is a typical part of recovery from an AC joint sprain, via ESPN's Stephen Holder.
“I've been dealing with soreness since I started throwing,” Richardson said after minicamp ended. “It's hard listening to the trainers saying, ‘No, you've got to sit out for a day.' But it's part of the health journey. So, I'm just rocking with them and just listening.
Will the Florida alum enjoy a fully healthy season?
The Colts must handle Richardson with care
Athletes in all sports constantly want to play despite their ailments, as the competitive fire within them drives them to show up as long as they can physically move. However, Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen and his staff can't let Richardson's hunger get in the way of his safety.
“I've been putting in a lot of work, so I'm feeling real good about it,” Richardson continued. “I was kind of bummed out about today, missing the last day. But they told me it's nothing to worry about, ‘Don't worry about the last day because I had a good period of time where I was working.'”
Colts fans are all-too-familiar with their franchise quarterback flaming out due to injury. Former golden boy Andrew Luck called it quits after just 86 games, due in large part to the 174 sacks he took behind leaky offensive lines.
The Stanford alum had the makings of a worthy successor to Peyton Manning, as he broke the rookie record for most passing yards in a season and game (4,374), made four Pro Bowls, led the league in passing touchdowns in 2014, and was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2018. However, Indianapolis couldn't protect him, and the franchise had to start back at square one.
Like clockwork, the Colts ran into another tantalizingly-talented young quarterback prospect. If they're not careful with their investment this time, the fanbase may never experience happiness again.
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