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Anthony Richardson will have to fight for his job with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025. While the team is not yet giving up on their former top-five draft pick, general manager Chris Ballard said he will bring in another quarterback in the offseason to compete with Richardson.
Ballard cited two reasons for his decision at his year-end press conference. The eighth-year executive said that another veteran would not only improve Richardson but also give the Colts stability at quarterback in the event of another injury.
“We got to have competition at the position,” Ballard said. “For one, competition makes everyone better. And two, [Anthony Richardson has] not proven he can play 17 games.”
Ballard admitted that one of his biggest mistakes in 2024 was allowing the team to become “complacent” by not making enough roster changes. He appears intent on changing that in 2025, beginning with his quarterback.
In 2024, 39-year-old Joe Flacco was Indianapolis's backup quarterback. Flacco started eight games — including two over Richardson — and threw for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Ballard did not mention any potential names but alluded to the fact that he wants another previously established starter on the roster. Ballard said he wants to see Richardson improve his health and consistency and believes that he has a chance to do both in 2025 while entering the offseason healthy.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's up-and-down 2024
The 2024 season was the second of Richardson's career but his first full year in the league. The Florida product played just four games as a rookie before starting 11 games in his second year.
While undeniably one of the most athletic and physical quarterbacks in the league, Richardson struggled as a passer. He completed a historically poor 47.7 percent of his passes while throwing just eight touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He only threw a touchdown in six of his 11 games on the year.
As a runner, Richardson racked up 499 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry. His rushing presence helped running back Jonathan Taylor run for 1,431 yards in 2024, the second-most of his career.
Unlike the typical NFL quarterback prospect, Richardson did not look like a future franchise signal-caller in college. Instead, his NFL Combine numbers and strong arm at Pro Day attracted scouts. Many general managers, including Ballard, believed his physical gifts would allow his developing talent to put everything together in time to lead an offense.
As Ballard mentioned, consistency has been Richardson's biggest issue. His big arm and gutsy play style often create big, momentum-changing plays, but they only come around once every handful of games. The rest of the time, he struggles to make reads in the pocket and lacks the accuracy to allow his receivers to get into a rhythm.
