The Indianapolis Colts have been good, not nice, throughout Shane Steichen’s tenure as head coach. Indianapolis gained 9 video games in 2023 and eight video games in 2024, taking part in simply on the surface of playoff competition. The Colts will want QB Anthony Richardson on the high of his recreation in the event that they need to change issues in 2025.
Colts GM Chris Ballard admitted one large mistake his group has made with Anthony Richardson in a latest interview.
Ballard admitted that he needs he’d “resisted the urge” to present Richardson the beginning job instantly in 2023. The Colts introduced that Richardson can be their starter on August fifteenth, weeks earlier than the start of the 2023 common season.
He defined that Richardson wanted time to regulate to the NFL. Richardson may have additionally benefited from taking a while to be taught the every day habits of a veteran quarterback earlier than being thrust right into a beginning job instantly.
“He simply doesn’t know but,” Ballard informed The Athletic not too long ago. “He didn’t have sufficient expertise, each from a play standpoint but additionally knowledgeable standpoint of tips on how to prepare.”
Whereas Ballard can see the group’s mistake in hindsight, he understands that it was a troublesome resolution on the time.
“Once you take one excessive, there’s an expectation,” Ballard mentioned. “The stress to play the child is actual.”
Now the stress will probably be on Richardson to show his price through the 2025 NFL season.
Can Colts QB Anthony Richardson have a breakout season in 2025?
Anthony Richardson has an opportunity to save lots of his profession with a powerful efficiency this fall.
However does Richardson have what it takes to reside as much as his expectations?
Step one will probably be staying wholesome. Richardson has battled a number of accidents throughout his brief NFL profession. He has by no means performed a full 17-game season, in reality he has not performed in 17 video games whole unfold throughout two seasons.
Richardson is “good to go” for coaching camp, which is a constructive signal. He additionally obtained first-team reps at Saturday’s coaching camp follow, an indication of the group’s religion in him.
Ballard nonetheless has loads of religion in Richardson, regardless of his early struggles.
“I simply assume finally Anthony’s going to be who we predict he will be,” Ballard concluded. “I nonetheless imagine that. Whether or not that’s this 12 months or subsequent, I don’t know when it’s going to occur.”
If Richardson goes to take a giant leap ahead, the 2025 season is one of the best time. In any other case, huge modifications may come to the Colts through the offseason.