Less than a month into the Colts debut season, Anthony Richardson, the quarterback, had to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, ending his NFL career in an ugly fashion. According to FOX59 News’ Mike Chappell, four months later, Richardson is still making progress toward his rehabilitation and is even tossing a football again.
Richardson was pulled out of a game in Week 5 of the season, this time due to a throwing shoulder ailment, not long after he had recovered from an early concussion. Richardson’s debut year ended when the team decided to have him surgically removed after much consideration. Team owner Jim Irsay reported two weeks following his operation that no new problems had surfaced, ruling out the need for a possible second surgery to fix his injured AC joint.
The 21-year-old passer is still showing encouraging momentum according to the most recent update. With the organization probably going to invest heavily in the quarterback position, Richardson will keep eking his way back to full recovery. It is hoped that if Richardson keeps at this rate, he will eventually be ready for full-go training camp and be able to throw competitively in team events. Currently, the young quarterback is bouncing between Jacksonville, where he is receiving rehabilitation, and Indianapolis, where he is still learning under the guidance of the coaching staff.
Surprisingly, the Colts managed to maintain their competitiveness despite losing their primary passer this season. In substitute duty, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew won seven of his thirteen starts, and he even made it to the Pro Bowl. But with Minshew expected to test free agency, it becomes even more crucial that Richardson returns in time for the season.
Although Richardson’s return date is still unknown, the quarterback for the team has shown positive progress thus far. He will keep working on his recovery during the winter, and the team will probably reevaluate in relation to OTAs.