The Indianapolis Colts have found their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, and they are not shy of letting him pick up starting experience in his first season in the NFL.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced on Tuesday that rookie Anthony Richardson would be the team's starting quarterback for the 2023 NFL season. Team owner Jim Irsay gave his stamp of approval to the move.
Per Shane Steichen - Anthony Richardson has been named the starter for the regular season. pic.twitter.com/DVIPvBbPmV
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 15, 2023
It only took one preseason game against the Buffalo Bills for the team to make the important decision, wherein the prized pick went 7-of-12 for 67 yards in one-quarter of play.
"Anthony's just been progressing. The growth he's shown, then, obviously, going into Buffalo, playing against a lot of their starters, he showed great signs of improvement," the 38-year-old tactician said.
Steichen added that he liked the things that Richardson did, and it is now an opportunity for him to get a lot more action with the other starters moving forward.
Richardson had initially faced competition mostly against veteran Gardner Minshew and Sam Ehlinger for the starting position.
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound player did not see the development coming, saying he was "shocked."
The 21-year-old was selected by the team in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the fourth overall pick, giving the Colts a chance at stability in the quarterback position after seven different players manned the starting QB position since Andrew Luck retired from the sport after the 2018 season.
Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, and Nick Foles all started at quarterback for the Colts during the 2022 season.
Born in Miami, Florida, the new Colts starting quarterback spent most of his life in the state, attending Eastside High School in Gainesville, before committing to play college football with the Gators at the University of Florida.
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Update on Jonathan Taylor's situation
With their quarterback situation now sorted, the Colts will now deal with the longstanding standoff against star running back Jonathan Taylor.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the 24-year-old is now back in the training camp after asking to be away from the team last week to rehab his injured ankle off-site.
The team allowed the disgruntled player to spend time away, while Steichen said that Taylor's absence is part of his rehab process.
However, the player's stance on his trade request has not changed even with his return to the team.
Taylor's desire to be traded away from the Colts remains after the two parties have failed to reach an agreement regarding a contract extension at the end of July.
The 2021 First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection remains on the Colts' Physically Unable to Perform list, and he is still hoping that the team will change their mind regarding his trade request.
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