INDIANAPOLIS — Quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. won’t be the Indianapolis Colts‘ opening-day starter, but he won’t see the field in the team’s preseason finale at the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, either.
Coach Shane Steichen said Thursday that Richardson’s status as the team’s primary backup makes him too valuable to expose to injury in a game in which the Colts do not plan to use any core players.
“I think he’s one play away from going into an actual game and don’t want to take the risk there,” Steichen said. “We got a lot of our [third team] and [fourth team] playing in this game. It’s their last opportunity to go prove it to make a 53-man roster and that’s where it’s at.”
The Colts on Tuesday named veteran Daniel Jones their starting quarterback, a move that Steichen said is intended to be a seasonlong decision. Steichen earlier this week emphasized his belief that Richardson will benefit from taking a background role for the first time in his professional career after being mostly a starter when healthy during his first two seasons.
“He’s 23 years old,” Steichen said. “He’s still learning, still growing, and for the first time in his career, this is an opportunity for him to sit at the start of the season and learn in a different light and attack it the right way.”
As for how Richardson has proceeded since the pivotal decision, Steichen said he has been steady and that the coach and player have had productive conversations.
“I’ve had great conversations with him the last two days, obviously when I let him know the news, he handled it great pro,” Steichen said. “I talked to him yesterday in the office, and he was great. He just said, ‘Hey man, I’m going to continue to work,’ and I said, ‘You’re one play away.’ He said, ‘You’re right, I’m one play away.’ So he’s been great.”
Steichen added: “We’re going to continue to develop [him] in the meeting rooms, on the practice field, fundamentals, details. [I told him] still go through your process like you’re going to be a starter.”
