Ready to return: Inside Anthony Richardson’s two-week exile

INDIANAPOLIS — After eliciting “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium, Anthony Richardson wanted to add an exclamation point to his 2023 NFL combine workout.

So, when he was done putting together historic performances in the 40-yard dash and vertical jump and delivering a series of majestic deep passes in the throwing session, Richardson decided to celebrate. That’s when the 6-4, 244-pound prospect pointed to a nearby television camera and proceeded to execute a backflip.

It was just one of the many ways the now-Indianapolis Colts quarterback displayed his passion for the game. He also did it with dramatic on-field celebrations, like when he spiked a football during a 360-degree midair celebration as a rookie last season.

But the job of a franchise quarterback is also a serious one, and Richardson has been learning that since becoming the fourth pick in last year’s draft. That education, however, seemingly did not come fast enough for the Colts.

That led to Richardson’s benching two weeks ago, followed by his reinstatement as the starter this week.

Conversations with teammates and multiple sources have created a clearer picture of what transpired behind the scenes. What they laid out was the story of a young quarterback described as “naïve” rather than resistant, a player who didn’t know what he didn’t know. The benching, according to a team source, was an effort to get Richardson’s attention.

Meanwhile, in the absence of specific information from the Colts, internet chatter was churning. But off-the-field rumors about character concerns were never accurate, multiple sources said.

“He’s a great kid,” coach Shane Steichen said. “I look at character as No. 1 of my pillars, and he has high character. You can work with that.”

Said defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, a team captain: “He wants to be great, and he’s willing to listen, and that’s why I have so much confidence in him and belief in him.”

The job of a franchise quarterback is multifaceted. When the fortunes of an organization hinge largely on your success, it can be a tremendous burden.

“He’s in a tough spot, because the position that he’s in has such a microscope on it, and his decisions mean so much to our organization,” linebacker Zaire Franklin said.

And that’s why the issues with Richardson, while small in the grand scheme, were seen as bigger issues by Steichen, who ultimately made both lineup decisions involving Richardson.

What Steichen meant when he said Richardson needed more “attention to detail” included investing more time into the job, sources said. Richardson, who at 22 is the NFL’s youngest starting quarterback, was already adhering to a schedule he had since becoming a pro, but he was apparently unaware that expectations of a franchise quarterback are higher.

So, one change that’s come in recent weeks, according to team sources, is Richardson arriving to work earlier. He’s been getting to the team facility around 5:30 a.m., getting an early start on film study and general game planning ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

The extra time in the building has allowed him to dig deeper. Case in point: Richardson has been meeting with offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. to go through pass protections in greater detail. The protections are addressed in other meetings, too, but the extra time allows for a richer understanding of the concepts.

“It’s the attention to detail in everything he does, from the classroom to the walk-throughs to practice to the weight room — all those little things,” Steichen said Wednesday. “It’s just got to be at a higher standard.

“That’s what was talked about and that’s where we went with it. So, that was discussed with him two weeks ago and those are the conversations that took place. Over the last two weeks, he’s made strides in those areas, big-time strides.”

Buckner seemed to reference the greater time commitment when he addressed Richardson’s situation Thursday.

“I’ve had times early in my career where I was like, ‘How much do I really love this?'” he said. “‘What am I willing to sacrifice at the end of the day? There’s a price that needs to be paid, and what’s the price that I’m willing to pay?’

“So, everybody has their own price that they pay each and every day coming into this building and each and every week in how much they put into it. The game is like that. As much as you put in, that’s what you’re going to get out of it.”

Richardson offered similar sentiments this week, suggesting he’s been taking to heart the advice he’s gotten from various parties.

“I’m willing to sacrifice anything that I need to for the team,” he said. “I feel like these past two weeks, it’s definitely opened my eyes and allowed me to have the opportunity to do that and just take a deeper dive.”

That, Steichen said, is important because the preparation has a direct impact on what happens in games.

“The preparation’s got to be at a premium, especially at the quarterback position,” Steichen said.

But while Richardson was working behind the scenes to sharpen his focus, confusion lingered outside the building.

Some believed the benching was a product of him tapping out against the Houston Texans, when he left the game momentarily because he said he “needed a breather.” Or that it was based on his inconsistent play, considering his league-worst completion rate of 44.4%. The Colts did not explicitly disregard those elements.

Internally, the Colts wrestled with divulging more details about the motivations behind their decisions. Steichen had initially said the move was made because Joe Flacco gave the Colts the best chance to win. Ultimately, the reasons were more complex, but the Colts’ messaging didn’t make that clear.

“I think it’s more in our interest to be less vague with [Richardson] and a little more vague with you guys,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said this week. “I don’t always love coaching guys through the media. I like to coach them for real.”

Whether the Colts’ lack of transparency did more harm than good is up for interpretation. But there does appear to finally be some agreement on what happens from here.

The job belongs to Richardson. What happens beyond that, is up to him.

“[Steichen] told me I was going to be the starter from here on out, but it’s up to me to keep my job,” Richardson said. “I have to make sure I’m doing the right thing and keep showcasing to Shane that I can be the guy and that I am the guy for this team.”