Sometimes, it’s the right decision. Other times, it’s not. The verdict is still out on whether Anthony Richardson, who has appeared in just 15 of 34 possible games, is the long-term franchise quarterback the Colts envisioned when they selected him fourth overall in 2023.
However, the young signal-caller appears to be taking the competition seriously and has made a key decision that could be crucial to his career.
With a full offseason ahead, Richardson is reportedly training with Buffalo Bills MVP quarterback Josh Allen and biomechanics expert Chris Hess, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.
Earlier in the offseason, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported that Richardson planned to work with Hess, but it was later revealed at the NFL Combine that Allen would also be involved in those workouts.
In a past NFL Films segment, Allen referred to Hess as “the most influential person in my mechanical career,” crediting him with helping boost his completion percentage from 52.8% as a rookie to 69.2% by his third season, as Holder noted in January.
Richardson’s early career hasn’t gone as smoothly as the Colts had hoped. Some struggles were expected, but injuries and reported work ethic concerns—resulting in a two-game benching—have made the quarterback situation a major storyline in Indianapolis once again.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard has emphasized that there will be an open competition this offseason between Richardson and any quarterback the team brings in. The best-case scenario is that Richardson shows significant progress and secures the starting role outright, but that’s far from guaranteed.
Still, it’s a positive sign that the young quarterback is taking steps to improve by following the path of a player who overcame similar early-career challenges.