Anthony Richardson is the second-year quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. The 22-year-old didn't get a lot of playing time as a rookie as he suffered injuries in Week 2 (which kept him out the following week) and Week 5 (which ended his season).
His intriguing mix of throwing and running ability − and a breakaway threat at running back in Jonathan Taylor − has Colts coach Shane Steichen creating a scheme that opposing defense won't be able to deal with. However, injuries have interrupted Richardson throughout his career and his completion percentage at all levels has been low by today's standards.
The Colts narrowly missed winning the AFC South in 2023 and they are eager to challenge for the playoffs with a full year of Richardson behind center.
Anthony Richardson injury history
Richardson excites the Colts with his powerful arm and running ability. But as the adage goes, the best ability is availability, and he has been sidelined several times during his playing career.
Anthony Richardson's NFL injuries
Oct. 8, 2023: Injury to the A/C joint in his right shoulder in a Week 5 game requires season-ending surgery.
Sept. 17, 2023: Concussion suffered in a Week 2 game forced him to miss Week 3 as well.
Anthony Richardson injuries at Florida
Sept. 11, 2022: A hamstring strain that had lingered from spring practice doesn't keep him off the field.
Nov. 27, 2021: A torn meniscus suffered against Florida State prompts season-ending surgery in December 2021.
Oct. 30, 2021: A concussion suffered against Georgia relegates him to emergency QB the following week against South Carolina.
Anthony Richardson high school injuries
Richardson has said that he had knee issues at Loften High School in Gainesville, Fla.
Who is the Colts' backup quarterback?
Joe Flacco and Sam Ehlinger are the Colts' backup quarterbacks behind second-year player Anthony Richardson.
The 39-year-old Flacco signed with the Colts on March 13 after an NFL Comeback Player of the Year season in 2023.
In the wake of numerous quarterback injuries, Flacco joined the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 14, 2023, and excelled in the final five weeks of the regular season. He completed 123-of-204 passes (60.3%) for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and 8 interceptions as the Browns reached the playoffs.
Cleveland lost to the Houston Texans in the wild card round, completing 34-of-46 throws for 307 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs.
The Colts are Flacco's fifth team. He played 11 years in Baltimore (including one Super Bowl championship), three for the New York Jets, and one each for Denver and Cleveland.
Ehlinger, 25, is in his fourth season with the Colts after they took him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has appeared in eight games, only attempting passes in the 2022 season (64-of-101, 573 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs). He has 96 career rushing yards.
Anthony Richardson's contract
Anthony Richardson has a four-year, $34 million rookie contract, according to Spotrac, all of it guaranteed from 2023-26. The Colts hold an option for the 2027 season.
Here is how much Richardson counts toward the Colts' salary cap through 2026:
2022: $6.18 million
2024: $7.73 million, 24th among NFL QBs this season
2025: $9.27 million
2026: $10.82 million
Anthony Richardson's mother, family
As a 5-year-old, Anthony Richardson and his mother, LaShawnda Cleare, bounced from house to house to find a safe place to sleep. They’d finish their days in prayer. Anthony was learning to say his on his own while kneeling at his bedside.
“God,” Cleare remembered hearing from his room one night, “Let my mamma have a baby.”
Within the next year, Anthony got his wish. Cleare gave birth to a boy named Corey, and his older brother just wanted to hold him the day he came home from the hospital. They started to have relatives over, but Anthony would meet them at the door and yell, “Hanitize your hands!”
He was still learning to communicate. But the protector in him came out as naturally as those athletic gifts would.
“He would do everything for him,” Cleare said.
Richardson was in fourth grade when his elementary school had a skills competition, which included seeing who could throw a football the farthest. As the other kids were warming up their arms, Anthony just sat around. Then he launched the ball so far they had to get a golf cart to fetch it.
A 10-year-old was beginning to feel what was possible for him in this life.
“To see him run farther than the other kids, never give up, broken bones,” Cleare said. “It was always, 'I need to go do this, Mama. I need to throw the football. I need to run. I can't stop.'”
Cleare started researching cities in the northern part of the state that offered Section 8 housing.
The city of Gainesville sent a letter back saying she was denied. But the next week, the phone rang and an apartment manager was asking her when she’d come to pick up her keys.
So she did.
“It was me following God,” she said.
