Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is unfortunately sidelined for the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but he flashed considerable talent in his four outings this year and impressed a whole lot of people.
That especially includes Colts edge rusher Kwity Paye.
“Anthony Richardson was balling out. For sure he was,” Paye said during a Q&A with Justin Melo of Fan Nation. “He was giving us a great opportunity to win a lot of games this year. It sucks that he went down. We have Gardner Minshew in the lineup now. He answered the call. Minshew is playing great football for us as well.”
Prior to the injury, Richardson had thrown for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while completing 59.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 87.3. In addition, he carried the ball 25 times for 136 yards and four scores.
The 21-year-old also missed a game earlier in the season due to a concussion he suffered in Week 2.
Richardson, who played his collegiate football at the University of Florida, was selected by Indianapolis with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He spent three years at Florida and was only the full-time starter for his final season with the club when he totaled 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine picks while completing 53.8 percent of his throws. He also rushed for 654 yards and nine scores.
Richardson was a very raw prospect coming out of college, but his potential was undeniable. At 6-foot-4 and around 240 pounds, Richardson is an incredible physical specimen who also has magnificent athletic ability and elite arm strength.
While he didn’t get to play a whole lot during his debut season, there seems to be a bright future on the horizon for Anthony Richardson.
The Colts have lost three straight games to fall to 3-5 and will look to snap their losing skid when they take on the woeful Carolina Panthers this Sunday.
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