Colts Naming Daniel Jones Their Starting Quarterback over Anthony Richardson Baffles Stephen A. Smith

Anthony Richardson was selected fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts despite low college playing experience.

Colts Naming Daniel Jones Their Starting Quarterback over Anthony Richardson Baffles Stephen A. Smith

Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones; Stephen A. Smith (Images via AP/Boston.com)

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The NFL season is three weeks away, and the Indianapolis Colts have named their starting quarterback ahead of their last preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Colts, looking to bounce back from a disastrous 2024 season, have named former New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones as their starter against the Miami Dolphins on September 7.

However, the decision to try their luck with Jones over their third-year Anthony Richardson hasn’t gone down well with some. Stephen A. Smith, one of the leading analysts, has slammed the team for what he calls a bad decision.

Boy does that show a lack of faith in Richardson, who they spent a top-four pick on. It’s bad for him. We’ve seen more blooper reels from Daniel Jones than highlights. And he’s your starter, over a guy that you spent a top four pick on just a few years ago? That’s a bad, bad, bad sign.

Stephen A. Smith put his two cents on First Take

Smith also highlighted Jones’ poor record in the Big Apple as a starter. Jones has a 24-44-1 record with 1-1 postseason win/loss.

The Colts have been unlucky in Week 1 for more than a decade. Their last Week 1 win came in 2013 when Andrew Luck and co. registered a win against the Oakland Raiders. In the past eleven seasons, the Colts have 0-10-1.

They have had a rotating door of quarterbacks in the past eleven seasons: Luck started in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018; Jacoby Brissett started in 2017 and 2019. Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan were starters for each season between 2020 and 2022. Ryan led them to a tie in 2022 against the Texans. The Colts have even tried Anthony Richardson in the last two seasons.

Anthony Richardson’s agent hints at QB moving away from Indy

In 2025, Anthony Richardson prepared for the upcoming season with the understanding that his performance would determine his future with the team. However, the decision to name Jones the permanent starter was unexpected and left Richardson, as well as his agent, Deiric Jackson, surprised.

Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson (Image via Sports Illustrated)

In conversation with ESPN, Jackson noted that there’s a lot to discuss. He admitted that Richardson had a great training camp, and the trust between the team and player is questionable at best.

Trust is a big factor and that is, at best, questionable right now. Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp.

Deiric Jackson noted

Richardson’s recent comments suggested a strained relationship between him and Daniel Jones. The same also raised some eyebrows about a potential shift of bases. However, the player has to consider whether he has a market elsewhere. There are teams with trouble in the quarterback room. like the New Orleans Saints for one, but Richardson’s lack of experience and injuries will be a concern.

Richardson, although a high draft pick, didn’t match the collegiate experiences of other quarterbacks in the league. The injuries were one of the leading reasons why the franchise even looked into signing Jones, since Richardson hadn’t proved that he could stay healthy.

From the Colts’ perspective, in case Richardson decides to be impulsive, they will have to turn to Riley Leonard. In two preseason games, playing mostly against backup players, Leonard has completed 19 of 36 passes for 156 yards. He has yet to throw a touchdown and has one interception. With that being said, they are far utilizing Leonard as a starter.

The Colts might be repeating a Richardson mistake if they have to push Leonard before he gets some time to develop. Despite the differences, due to the lack of depth, Richardson might be asked to stay in the city, famously called “Crossroads of America” by the Colts management.

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