Colts' Anthony Richardson Talks Injury Return, Joe Flacco and More in B/R Interview

Wesley Hitt/ Indianapolis Colts fans just want to see Anthony Richardson stay healthy and remain on the field.

That is exactly what he wants as well.

"Just staying in the whole game and getting the win with my teammates," the quarterback told Bleacher Report when discussing what his goals are when he returns from his latest setback. "Just staying healthy. Winning is of course the big goal, but just being able to be out there is what I'm looking forward to."

The Richardson story is one of potential only at this point.

After all, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft played just four games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury and has already missed time this year after suffering a right oblique injury during a Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed the next two games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans as a result.

In all, Richardson has made eight starts and failed to finish four of them in his career.

Yes, there are still questions about his overall passing accuracy with three touchdown throws to six interceptions this season and a career completion percentage of 55.3 after he completed just 54.7 percent of his passes during his collegiate career at Florida.

But answering those questions, utilizing his best attributes as a runner and fully tapping into his potential as a 22-year-old who is still relatively inexperienced despite flashes of excellence all begin with being on the field.

Fortunately for the Colts and their fans, he should be soon.

"I'm feeling good, it's healing up nicely," he said of his oblique injury. "I'm getting ready for the opportunity to play again when that time comes. I'm taking advantage of the days and healing up."

That time may be Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, as head coach Shane Steichen told reporters Monday he believes Richardson will be back in the lineup.

"Unless there's a setback, I think he'll be ready to go," Steichen said. " ... Wanted to make sure he was 100%. That's really what went into the decision. He's really close. That's why he had him as our third, emergency quarterback, but he should be looking really good this week."

While Richardson didn't confirm he will definitely be under center against the Dolphins, all signs are pointing in that direction.

Indianapolis can at least take solace knowing it can do far worse for a backup quarterback than Joe Flacco, who led the team to victory in relief against the Steelers with two touchdown passes and then started against the Dolphins and Jaguars.

The AFC South team signed the veteran this offseason after he went 4-1 last season as a starter for the Cleveland Browns and led them to the playoffs.

That type of ability to step in at a moment's notice has once again been on full display, as he threw for 359 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the loss to Jaguars and then led the Colts to a win over the Titans with two touchdowns to one pick.

In all, Flacco has seven touchdown passes to one interception on the season and has been largely excellent while keeping the team afloat without Richardson.

He has also been a veteran leader for the franchise quarterback in the making.

"Learning from Joe, the main thing for me is the fact he knows it's just football," Richardson said. "He doesn't complicate it for himself, he doesn't do too much. He just goes out there and plays. I really like that about him. I try to take that from him."

Richardson got to take a break from focusing on just football Tuesday when he and running back Jonathan Taylor teamed up and visited a local Indianapolis Dairy Queen to promote the restaurant's Parmesan Garlic Sauced & Tossed Chicken Strips and Honey BBQ Sauced & Tossed Chicken Strips.

The quarterback "tossed" the chicken strips to the running back, who then "sauced" them with the flavors and gave them out to Colts fans in attendance.

And Richardson believes in the product, as he said his new go-to order at Dairy Queen is the honey BBQ chicken tenders.

"They offered us the opportunity to come out there and have some fun with some of the fans and get to throw some chicken around and try out some new flavors," he said. "We thought it was a good opportunity to show some love, so we took advantage of it.

"It was really fun. I'm glad I got the opportunity to do that with my teammate, Jonathan Taylor. He made it really fun for me because I got to see that different side of him when he was interacting with the fans and smiling and laughing."

Colts fans will be smiling and laughing as well when Taylor also returns to the field, as he missed the last two games because of a high-ankle sprain and is working his way back.

The Richardson and Taylor combination figures to be key if Indianapolis is going to take the next step after just missing the playoffs at 9-8 last season. Its final game of the 2023 campaign against the Houston Texans was for an AFC playoff spot, but it fell 23-19 at home.

Gardner Minshew II, who is now with the Las Vegas Raiders, was the quarterback of that game because Richardson was sidelined.

Like Flacco this season, he kept the Colts afloat with a 7-6 record as a starter even though it wasn't the situation the team envisioned. There is far more time for Richardson to return and lead a playoff run this time around, as Indianapolis is 3-3 with all of its goals still in front of it with games against each divisional opponent remaining.

"I'm just trying to take advantage of every opportunity I have," Richardson said. "We try not to dwell on last year too much. We know what happened last year and what we need to get better at. So that's what we're trying to showcase this year. We're ready to fight each and every game and win each and every week. We need to start and finish each week 1-0. So that's what I'm focusing on the rest of the year."