How long will the Indianpolis Colts’ Anthony Richardson be out and how will the team cope?
The highly regarded rookie quarterback could be facing a lengthy layoff, which needless to say is not ideal for his team which was just getting warmed up.
While it’s fair to say that nobody intends to get injured, questions have been raised about the first-year signal caller’s health after a series of injuries have seen him spend less time on the field than he has spent on it.
Colts’ Anthony Richardson could miss an extended period
If you’ve been following then you will know that for the third time in five weeks worth of NFL regular season play, the Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback, Anthony Richardson, has been sidelined by injury. According to reports, the first-year playmaker has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 AC joint sprain after suffering what appeared to be a shoulder injury during Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans, a contest which the Colts won 23-16. It’s understood that Richardson is set to miss at least one month, however, it could be longer depending on progress.
Following an MRI, Richardson who was not hospitalized will reportedly be seeking a second opinion regardless of what results come from the initial test. As for what exactly happened, it was the Titans’ Harold Landry who tackled Richardson in the second quarter, after which the former Florida star could be seen in visible pain on the ground. The 21-year-old was later escorted to the locker room for further evaluation and was replaced by backup Gardner Mishew. Incidentally, the Colts actually listed Richardson as questionable immediately after the injury, however, he was later officially ruled out in the second half.
How did the Colts cope and how will they move forward?
As mentioned before, this isn’t Richardson’s first injury for the season. In Week 1, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had to leave what turned out to be a season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars after suffering what looked like a lower-leg injury. Then, just 1 week later he suffered a concussion which resulted in his absence for Week 3. At this point, it remains to be seen just how long Richardson will need to recover, but rest assured this is not good news.
Where Minshew is concerned, the Colts’ backup will likely have done himself a huge favor after he guided the team to victory on Sunday. Indeed, having already proved his mettle in Week 3 when he spearheaded an upset win over the Baltimore Ravens, he has now demonstrated that he can be called upon when needed.