WESTFIELD, Ind. — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson dropped back to pass, couldn’t find an open receiver and the chase was on. The Colts defense had done its job up to that point, and linebacker Zaire Franklin was looking to finish it by barreling down on Richardson.
Indy’s second-year QB saw him coming at the last second and did what perhaps only a handful of QBs in the league can do to someone who set the Colts’ single-season tackle record in back-to-back seasons. Richardson planted one foot in the ground and made Franklin miss before surging forward for a red-zone touchdown run.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen let Franklin hear about it.
“It was close,” Steichen said through a wry smile after his team’s first day of training camp. “We’re gonna go back and look at it. I kind of said something (to Franklin), but then he turned away. So, we’ll go look on film.”
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Franklin chirped at the offense following the play, presumably reminding them that he isn’t allowed to touch Richardson in practice. The winner of that rep will never truly be decided, but Richardson’s evasive juke move during that 11-on-11 drill was a tantalizing reminder of what’s possible when he uses his legs.
Steichen won’t take that gift away from him, even after Richardson’s promising rookie year was cut short due to an injury he sustained as a runner.
“People ask this, too, a lot and it’s like, ‘Hey, are you gonna limit the run game?’” Steichen asked rhetorically. “I kind of think like, ‘Shoot, are you gonna limit Steph Curry from shooting 3-pointers?’ Well, (running) is one of Anthony’s strengths. We’re not gonna get away from that.”
#Colts HC Shane Steichen:
“People ask this, too … ‘Hey, are you gonna limit the run game?’ And I kind of think like, ‘Shoot, are you gonna limit Steph Curry from shooting 3-pointers. Well, that’s one of Anthony (Richardson’s) strengths. We’re not gonna get away from that” pic.twitter.com/CmvJu6gxuR
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 25, 2024
Richardson was limited to four games and just 173 offensive snaps in 2023. After scoring seven total touchdowns, his season ended in Week 5 following a 4-yard run on a routine tackle by Titans linebacker Harold Landry III. Richardson has always maintained that the significant AC joint sprain he had as a result of that collision was more unlucky than the result of an unwise decision.
As he prepares for Year 2, Richardson said he’s grateful Steichen doesn’t feel the need to bubble wrap him and will continue trusting his judgment as a ball carrier. After all, that’s what Richardson believes has separated him from others who play his position.
“My legs (have) always been one of my superpowers,” Richardson said. “So, trying to take that away from me, I don’t think that’s a good thing for this offense. It’s just more so me learning how to take care of myself for my teammates. Knowing when to make the right play and knowing when to try to get an extra few yards.”
Richardson totaled 25 carries for 136 yards (5.4 yards per carry), eight first downs and four touchdowns as a rookie. He became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to record a rushing TD in each of his first three games.
While Steichen continues experimenting with Richardson as a runner, he noted that Richardson was sharp through the air as well in his first training camp practice. After a shaky warmup with a few overthrows, Richardson finished 4-of-5 passing in red zone 11-on-11 drills, highlighted by TD passes to wide receivers Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr., and tight end Kylen Granson.
Nothing like training camp battles. #ColtsCamp preview ft. @RomeovilleKid 🤝🏾 pic.twitter.com/K2j9fLVsOT
— The Trenches Show (@TrenchesShow) July 25, 2024
Richardson described himself as always being “two options,“ though he acknowledged that he’s thankful to have another strong option in the backfield in running back Jonathan Taylor. The 25-year-old former league rushing champ scored on a zone read after Richardson fooled the defense with a deceptive handoff.
“That’s why it’s so exciting because it’s almost like there’s a whole new element now,” Taylor said. “You’re not just worrying about what I’m doing. It’s like, ‘You better worry about this guy, because if not, he’s gonna kill you.’”
Richardson believes the move he put on Franklin was a sign of what’s to come. But beyond one rep in a July practice, he’s eager to continue evolving in Steichen’s offense that has clearly been built to capitalize on his legs.
#Colts begin training camp by playing Anthony Richardson’s music. Objectively speaking, he was really sliding on this beat. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/l2NHn4proT
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 25, 2024
“It’s more so like back and forth trust,” Richardson said, describing his relationship with Steichen. “I know he’s not gonna call 15 QB runs in a game, and I know he’s not gonna want me to try to run everybody over every play.”
(Photo: Grace Hollars /IndyStar / USA Today)
