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Stephen Holder, ESPN
INDIANAPOLIS — After drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium, Anthony Richardson wanted to add an exclamation point to his 2023 NFL Combine workout.
So when he finished turning in historic performances in the 40-yard dash and vertical jump and making a series of majestic deep passes in the throwing session, Richardson decided to celebrate. That’s when the 6-4, 244-pound prospect pointed at a nearby television camera and proceeded to execute a backflip.
It was just one of the many ways the now Indianapolis Colts quarterback showed his passion for the game. He also did it with dramatic on-field celebrations, like when he spiked a football during a 360-degree mid-air celebration as a rookie last season.
But the job of a franchise quarterback is serious, too, and Richardson has been learning that since becoming the fourth pick in last year’s draft. That education, however, apparently didn’t come quickly enough for the Colts.
That led to Richardson being benched two weeks ago, followed by his reinstatement as a starter this week.
Conversations with teammates and multiple sources have created a clearer picture of what happened behind the scenes. What they presented was the story of a young quarterback described as “naïve” rather than resilient, a player who didn’t know what he didn’t know. The benching, according to a team source, was an effort to get Richardson’s attention.
Meanwhile, in the absence of Colts-specific information, online conversations were abuzz. But off-field rumors about character concerns were never accurate, multiple sources said.
“He’s a great kid,” coach Shane Steichen said. “I consider character to be my number one pillar, and he has great character. You can work with that.”
Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, team captain, said, “He wants to be great and he’s willing to listen, and that’s why I have so much confidence in him and believe in him.”
The job of a franchise quarterback is multifaceted. When the fate of an organization depends largely on its success, it can be a tremendous burden.
“He’s in a tough spot because the position he’s in has a microscope and his decisions mean a lot to our organization,” linebacker Zaire Franklin said.
And that’s why the issues with Richardson, while small in the grand scheme of things, were seen as bigger issues by Steichen, who ultimately made both lineup decisions involving Richardson.
What Steichen meant when he said Richardson needed more “attention to detail” included investing more time on the job, sources said. Richardson, who at 22 is the NFL’s youngest starting quarterback, was already sticking to a schedule he’d had since turning pro, but was apparently unaware that the expectations of a franchise quarterback are higher. older.
So one change that has occurred in recent weeks, according to team sources, is that Richardson is coming to work earlier. He’s been arriving at the team facility around 5:30 a.m., starting early with film study and general game planning ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
The extra time in the building has allowed him to delve deeper. Case in point: Richardson has been meeting with offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. to discuss pass protections in greater detail. Protections are also covered in other meetings, but the additional time allows for a richer understanding of the concepts.
“It’s the attention to detail in everything he does, from the classroom to the walk-throughs to practice to the weight room, all those little things,” Steichen said Wednesday. “It just has to be of a higher level.
“That’s what was talked about and that’s where we went. So, that was discussed with him two weeks ago and those are the conversations that took place. Over the last two weeks, he’s made great strides in those areas, huge strides. “.
Buckner appeared to reference the increased time commitment when addressing Richardson’s situation Thursday.
“There were times early in my career where I thought, ‘How much do I really love this?'” he said. “‘What am I willing to sacrifice at the end of the day? There is a price that must be paid, and what is the price I am willing to pay?’
“So, everyone has their own price that they pay every day when they enter this building and every week based on how much they invest in it. The game is like that. No matter how much you put in, that’s what you’re paying. I’m going to leave from this.”
Richardson expressed similar sentiments this week, suggesting that he has been taking seriously the advice he has received from various parties.
“I’m willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for the team,” he said. “I feel like these last two weeks have definitely opened my eyes and allowed me the opportunity to do that and go deeper.”
This, Steichen said, is important because preparation has a direct impact on what happens in games.
“Preparation has to be very important, especially at the quarterback position,” Steichen said.
But while Richardson worked behind the scenes to improve his concentration, confusion persisted outside the building.
Some believed his benching was a result of his block against the Houston Texans, when he left the game momentarily because he said he “needed a break.” Or that it was based on his inconsistent play, considering his league-worst completion rate of 44.4%. The Colts didn’t explicitly ignore those elements.
Internally, the Colts struggled to divulge more details about the motivations behind their decisions. Steichen had initially said the move was made because Joe Flacco gave the Colts the best chance to win. Ultimately, the reasons were more complex, but the Colts’ messaging didn’t make it clear.
“I think it would be better for us to be less lazy with [Richardson] and a little lazier with you guys,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said this week. “I don’t always like to coach guys through the media. “I really like training them.”
Whether the Colts’ lack of transparency did more harm than good is up for interpretation. But there finally seems to be some agreement on what happens from now on.
The work belongs to Richardson. What happens beyond that is up to him.
“[Steichen] “He told me he was going to be the starter from now on, but it’s up to me to keep my job,” Richardson said. “I have to make sure I’m doing the right thing and continue to show Shane that I can be the starter.” the boy and that I am the boy of this team.
