It’s hard not to see the talent of the Indianapolis Colts’ first-round pick when Anthony Richardson has the ball in his hands. Whether he’s uncorking a deep pass to Josh Downs, or putting his foot in the ground, getting ready to put his shoulder through defenders, the fourth overall pick has been a special treat at QB for the Colts. But only when healthy.
Already having missed the team’s Week 3 win over the Baltimore Ravens due to a concussion suffered in their Week 2 win, Richardson’s durability could quickly become a concern.
We saw more evidence of that in Week 5 when the rookie QB had to once again leave the game after another rushing attempt. It happened when Richardson kept the ball on a read-option attempt to the right side of the field, but he fell on his right shoulder upon being tackled and quickly pointed to his throwing shoulder as if it needed attention.
Backup QB Gardner Minshew has taken over for Richardson. Luckily, it’s not his first rodeo, with the fifth-year QB making his 37th career appearance in an NFL game. He also led the Colts to victory both when Richardson left early due to a concussion in Week 2 and when he missed Week 3. They are the only two wins the Colts have this season.
Richardson has since been ruled out of the game, with his shoulder listed as the reason. With Richardson’s day being done, he ends his fourth start by completing 9-of-12 passes for 98 yards plus two rushing attempts for five yards.
Related: See where Anthony Richardson lands in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings