As he was peppered with numerous questions in his introductory press conference, Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson had one answer that stood out.
“I took the chance. I bet on myself, and now, I’m a Colt.”
While the Colts were busy betting on quarterback after quarterback as the franchise answer post-Andrew Luck, the new face of the team was busy betting on himself.
It wasn’t an easy decision, either. Turning 21 years old in May, Richardson is still extremely young. He still had two seasons of eligibility left in college, but he continued to bet on himself after hearing he had a chance to be selected in the first round.
“It was up and down throughout the season. I was hearing certain things from certain scouts – just getting a feel for what could happen after the season,” Richardson said. “Then eventually I got certain grades back that told me I had a shot to be a first-round draft pick.”
A decision nearly two years in the making landed Florida’s Anthony Richardson on the Colts’ doorstep. When Richardson popped up on the team’s radar during his sophomore year, he was anything but ready. A paltry 64 pass attempts did not scream franchise quarterback, but something was brewing.
The team kept tabs on him until his junior when the Colts’ chief personnel executive, Morocco Brown, traveled to Gainesville to look at other prospects. Surprisingly, it wasn’t those players who caught his eye but Richardson. Despite his apparent rawness and inexperience, the work he had been quietly doing started to show.
Those perceived flaws didn’t deter the team.
They continued digging into Richardson, sending scouts and even assistant general manager, Ed Dodds, to see him. His 2022 season was up and down, potentially leaving more questions than answers. However, one thing was clear: Anthony Richardson was built differently.
He oozed upside and dripped potential.
But, the Colts could not bank solely on upside and potential. They had to be wholeheartedly convinced, just as general manager Chris Ballard reiterated multiple times this offseason. So, the team continued to explore options of what Richardson at the helm would look like. What started as varying opinions eventually became a consensus – Richardson was a legitimate option.
The Colts were now all in on Anthony Richardson, from the NFL combine to his pro day to his private workout. But they wouldn’t panic when the draft arrived, believing they could get their guy. True to his style, Ballard stayed put instead of trading up, and with some luck, the team drafted Richardson at No. 4 overall.
But ask Richardson, and this was all destined to be.
When asked shortly after being drafted about how it felt to overcome the doubters, Richardson humbly responded:
“It feels good. I always believed in me. You know, that was the game plan. You know, even declaring…bet on myself and have faith in myself and my abilities. The Colts believed in me. So, I’m ready to get to work.”
Work is undoubtedly what lies ahead for Richardson. For a franchise desperately in need of stability and a visible pillar, a lot will be expected of him. But he can’t be Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck. He has to be Anthony Richardson.
For today and every day that lies ahead, he has to walk with purpose to collide with his destiny.