Watch: Anthony Richardson’s sensational throw goes viral as Colts QB gears up for rookie season

Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is fueling the hype around him during his first training camp with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts recently tweeted a 15-second video featuring a 60-yard touchdown pass that Richardson threw to wide receiver Alec Pierce.

Bradon Deacon of NFL Rookie Watch tagged the sequence as the “best training camp play” thus far. They also shared Josh Downs’ excitement after seeing that play. Richardson also reportedly took all first-team snaps in yesterday’s session.

If everything goes well, Anthony Richardson could start for the Colts in Week 1 at home versus Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But despite the excitement around the former Florida standout, the Colts are cautious about his progression. Therefore, Gardner Minshew may start some games until they feel the rookie is ready.

The Colts selected Richardson with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the third quarterback taken after Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud went No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Draft experts predicted Will Levis would go off the board before Richardson, getting drafted as high as No. 4. However, Indianapolis chose the play-caller with a massive upside in Richardson over the quarterback who is perhaps more NFL-ready in Levis.

The Indianapolis Colts are invested in Anthony Richardson’s success because it can flip their fortunes. Notably, they haven’t won a playoff game since 2018 and missed the postseason in the last two years.

The franchise didn’t have a long-term plan at quarterback over the previous three seasons. They signed Philip Rivers in 2020, Carson Wentz in 2021 and Matt Ryan in 2022. Ryan, a former league MVP, led the Colts to a 4-12-1 record last season, their worst performance since the 2017 season when they went 4-12.

Pros and cons of Anthony Richardson

Richardson started only 13 games for the Gators, a small sample size for a highly-touted prospect, especially considering Young’s 27 starts for Alabama and Stroud’s 25 starts for Ohio State.

Meanwhile, the Colts hope Anthony Richardson can improve his in-game passing accuracy. He completed 54.7 percent of his passes in three years at Florida. That’s nowhere near Young’s 65.8 percent and Stroud’s 69.3 percent.

There are also questions about his footwork. Luckily, he can improve on those attributes thanks to the stellar coaching staff now guiding him.

It’s also noteworthy that Richardson will play for Shane Steichen, the coach who developed Jalen Hurts into a bonafide starter. Steichen helped bury the doubts about Hurts, quickly turning him into a quarterback who could lead his squad to the Super Bowl.

Aside from his rocket arm, Anthony Richardson’s athleticism is also off the charts. He is the most athletic quarterback in league history based on Scouting Combine measurements.

As a mobile quarterback, he can extend plays or take off for significant gains when needed.