Ex-NFL scout says Colts' Anthony Richardson situation is beyond "embarrassing"

NFL analyst John Middlekauff believes the Indianapolis Colts are in a difficult position with their starting quarterback Anthony Richardson.

On the popular "3 and Out with John Middlekauff" podcast on Friday, Middlekauff highlighted how the Colts have not had great success in recent seasons and the ongoing situation with Richardson does not reflect well.

"They haven't won the division in forever," the analyst said. "It feels like they haven’t made the playoffs in a while now, and the Anthony Richardson situation is pretty embarrassing. There’s just no way around that. It’s bad." (33:32)

Apart from his struggles throwing the ball, Richardson copped criticism when he seemingly tapped out in a Week 8 game against the Houston Texans while the offense was still on the field. Many fans, pundits and commentators thought Richardson had sustained an injury. However, after the game, the quarterback revealed that he had requested to be withdrawn from the offensive drive because he was "tired."

The move was heavily criticized by most people around football and sports for being unprofessional and not how a starting quarterback of an NFL franchise should act.

Can Anthony Richardson still be an elite NFL QB?

The move by Richardson was surprising and one that he has publicly outlined was wrong in various interviews since the incident.

"I know I can’t do that as a leader, especially as the quarterback of this team," the QB said.

The Colts signed free agent QB Daniel Jones this offseason, which signals that the starting job will not simply be handed to Richardson in 2025. Richardson will need to show why he was selected No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft and why he was one of the most hyped QBs in recent years.

He is strong, quick and agile, and has a major arm. However, he has consistently struggled with decision-making and accuracy (59.5%, 47.7%), something he will need to improve upon if he wants to start for the Colts in 2025.