The Indianapolis Colts are approaching a pivotal 2025 NFL season. Following a record of 8-9 in 2024, many speculated that head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard might be dismissed.
Nevertheless, the Colts retained both of them, despite not having reached the playoffs since the 2020 NFL season. A quarterback competition is anticipated between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. Richardson is currently dealing with a shoulder injury, which could result in Jones being the Week 1 starter for Indianapolis.
An NFL Analyst Believes Colts Head Coach Shane Steichen Won’t Risk His Job on Anthony Richardson
Frank Schwab from Yahoo Sports is in the process of drafting his power rankings for the 2025 NFL season, placing the Colts at 24th as it kicks off. Schwab perceives the lack of performance from Richardson as one of the primary issues for the team and suggests that Steichen shouldn’t rely on him to potentially protect his position. Schwab remarked,
“This has been the trajectory for Richardson with the Colts: a few standout moments coupled with numerous frustrations due to his poor passing and recurring injuries. If Richardson is absent or limited in practice due to his shoulder, it’s unlikely that head coach Shane Steichen, who is under scrutiny, will risk his job on a quarterback who isn’t showing clear improvement before the season begins.
The Colts ended last season at 8-9, but the issues surrounding Richardson made the situation seem worse. Richardson was benched early on and only returned because Joe Flacco was also underperforming. His completion rate for the season was 47.7%. The only other quarterbacks since 1988 with at least 250 attempts and a completion percentage below 48% were Stan Gelbaugh, Heath Shuler, Craig Whelihan, Akili Smith, and Tim Tebow. Richardson’s completion rate was 12.9% lower than any other quarterback with 250 attempts last season. Tua Tagovailoa topped the NFL with a 72.9% completion rate; Richardson would need to complete 245 consecutive passes to reach that. Despite these struggles, the Colts nearly reached a .500 record.”
In the 2024 season, aside from his 47.7% completion rate, Richardson only recorded 1,814 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 499 yards with six touchdowns on 86 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
At just 23 years old, Richardson isn’t showing much advancement in his game. It’s clear that this was a significant oversight by Ballard. Richardson was swapped in favor of Joe Flacco during the 2024 season. Given his shoulder injury, there’s a possibility that Jones will start in Week 1.
Jones signed with the Colts on a one-year contract during free agency. He is believed to be a safer option to secure Steichen’s job for another year than Richardson. Jones was cut by the New York Giants mid-2024 and subsequently joined the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. If Richardson has to take over for Jones at any time in 2025, it could mean the end for Steichen and Ballard with the team beyond the 2025 NFL season.