Colts QB Anthony Richardson could miss rest of rookie NFL season

The Indianapolis Colts could be without quarterback Anthony Richardson for longer than they anticipated.

Richardson is expected to miss the rest of his rookie season due to possibly undergoing shoulder surgery in the next week, Colts owner Jim Irsay said.

Breaking: Colts QB Anthony Richardson is "probably" going to miss the rest of the regular season, team owner Jim Irsay told @HolderStephen.

Richardson could undergo shoulder surgery in the next week or so.

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— ESPN (@espn) October 17, 2023

The Season Ending Injury

The former Gator suffered a shoulder injury during the Colts’ Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans.

On a designed QB run, Richardson was tackled into the turf forcing him to land awkwardly on his shoulder. The original diagnosis was a Grade 3 AC Sprain which placed him on the injured reserve list for a minimum of four weeks.

But after getting different opinions on his injury, one doctor suggested that the shoulder procedure would be the best way to make sure he is fully healed.

Possible Shoulder Surgery

The Colts owner said that Richardson is strongly considering the surgery. It comes down to the matter of if this injury needs to be surgically repaired or if continued rehab would be enough to heal him.

“There’s debate going, but it’s probably going to lead toward surgery in the next week or so,” Irsay said, “We’re just trying to figure out exactly how and when and what we want to do and what Anthony wants to do.”

Irsay said the final decision is up to Richardson and the trainers, but most players decide to go with the medical advice given to them.

A Season full of Ups and Downs

Richardson was drafted fourth overall by the Colts in this year’s NFL draft. During his four games played, he completed 59.5% of passes for 577 yards, three touchdowns and only one interception.

Unfortunately, Richardson has been prone to injuries in his rookie season.

During the Colts season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Richardson made an early exit due to a knee injury. He was back in time for the Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans. However, he suffered a concussion which put him back on the injured list. Because of the injury, Richardson missed Week 3. Without their starting quarterback, the Colts found a way to beat the Baltimore Ravens in overtime.

Sunday’s game against the Jaguars was a test for the Colts and backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. It was their first game since Richardson was placed on IR. Minshew has been impressive in the games he has played for this Colts so far this season. He has helped lead the team to wins against the Texans, Titans and Ravens.

The Colts struggled defensively against the Jaguars allowing them to take a 31-6 lead entering the fourth quarter. A late comeback attempt wasn’t enough as the Colts fell 37-20 against the Jaguars.