The the last week or so, the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Anthony Richardson have been gathering as much information as possible for the shoulder injury that he sustained. Anthony Richardson was hurt in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans when Harold Landry III tackled him and he landed hard on his right, throwing shoulder.

It was originally believed that Anthony Richardson suffered an AC joint sprain, which they had to figure out the severity of. He was placed on injured reserve by the team, meaning he would miss four games, at a minimum.

Even the most optimistic timetables were that Anthony Richardson would miss at least 4-to-8 weeks because his sprain was pretty bad. Today, the Colts received a final determination and it is a worst-case scenario.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Anthony Richarson is going to miss the remainder of the season. Season-ending surgery is being scheduled as this seems to be the only route to ensure that his significant injury is fixed properly. Multiple opinions were gathered and this was the final determination.

This is a brutal way for the rookie season of the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to end. He was playing well when on the field, but injuries have already become a major concern for him and the team.

Before the shoulder injury suffered in Week 5, Anthony Richardson dealt with knee soreness in Week 1 that forced him out of the game. In Week 2, he self-reported a concussion, which led to him missing Week 3. He returned in Week 4 and escaped unscathed, but his season ended in Week 5 with a shoulder injury.

In his place, the Colts will be turning to Gardner Minshew, for now. Minshew defeated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 in place of Anthony Richardson but struggled mightily in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Indianapolis has been suggested as a potential suitor for Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings as a replacement for Anthony Richardson. On an expiring deal, he makes sense as a stopgap and upgrade over Minshew. 

But, it is hard to envision the Colts trading away assets to attempt a run this season when they should be taking a big-picture, long-term approach with Anthony Richardson. This is Minshew’s team unless another injury occurs that forces a change to be made.