World-renowned quarterback whisperer Bruce Arians shares expectations for Colts QBs Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones

Famous quarterback mentor Bruce Arians teamed up with local Colts media personality Jeffrey Gorman for the inaugural episode of Colts.com’s High Volume podcast. The program in focus is hosted by Gorman as he engages with Colts legends from both the past and the present.

In this pilot episode, Arians looked back on his football journey, discussing experiences with iconic coach Bear Bryant, fruitful collaborations with prominent quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, and Ben Roethlisberger, among others, along with his tenure at the Indianapolis Colts.

Once the two had finished reminiscing about the good times, Gorman started probing Arians about the current Colts, and in classic Bruce Arians style, the conversation shifted to the quarterback situation.

Colts third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson appears to be in a tough position as he approaches the second half of his rookie contract. Following two seasons in the NFL, Richardson is yet to demonstrate that he can be the franchise’s quarterback. The front office’s focus on enhancing competition in the quarterback room has resonated throughout the offseason following the signing of Daniel Jones and will probably carry into Day 3 (rounds 4-7) of the NFL Draft, as the Colts appear ready to keep strengthening the room.

Regarding Bruce Arians’ opinion on the condition of the Colts’ quarterback situation, it’s a blend of feelings. On one side, Arians gave a strong endorsement for Daniel Jones, the 6th pick in the 2019 draft. He remarked on how he believed Jones ‘would be exceptional’ and granted him the benefit of the doubt after contending with a poor offensive line and an inadequate supporting cast while in New York.

Daniel [Jones’] initial victory came against us [Tampa Bay].” He tossed a few balls in there and I remarked, this person is going to be exceptional. He sprinted down the center for a 20-yard run to outpace us. We truly overlooked a field, however… I believed the child possessed it. “He is athletic, intelligent, and precise,” Arians commented about Daniel Jones. “I believe he was severely pressured in New York due to that offensive line and the lack of elite skill players around him, yet I consider him a fantastic talent.”

Conversely, Bruce Arians’ views on Anthony Richardson expressed a contrasting perspective. It wasn’t a critique implying doubt in Richardson, but instead, it felt like Arians’ evaluations of him as a prospect had evolved in a manner that indicated unavoidable issues.

For starters, Arians begins his sentiment by sharing that he never thought Richardson should’ve declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. In fact, Arians said that he believed Richardson should’ve stayed in college for two more seasons, which would make him a part of the current draft cycle.

“Anthony I think needed two more years of college.. as a passer, not as an athlete. He’s a great athlete. But as a passer, I didn’t see him coming out being able to beat anybody in 2-minute & 3rd down, and that’s where you win in the NFL. If you can’t win 3rd down and 2-minute you’re just an average guy,” Arians explained. “I don’t care how good you run, you don’t run the ball in 2-minute as a quarterback. You throw it and command the game.”

To some fans, this may seem like Arians is kicking a young quarterback while he is already down. On the contrary, it reads to me like Arians was once intrigued by the prospect of Anthony Richardson, but since he landed on the notion that he should’ve never declared, Richardson’s rocky start to his NFL career thus far is both expected and disappointing for Arians to watch transpire.

Since it’s impossible to time travel to test out Arians’ hypothesis, all anybody can do now is hope that Anthony Richardson evolves into the quarterback that Arians envisioned with a couple of more years of experience under his belt. Although he elected to begin his professional career a bit early in some people’s eyes, those pesky two seasons have come and gone. Despite them being more of a wake-up call in the NFL as opposed to a linear development of sorts at the college level, now is the time if ever for Richardson to take a positive step forward, and Arians believes he can do just that with enough work put in behind the scenes.

“I think his growth this year is gonna be huge. I think he’s going to put the work in. He’s got a great reputation as a hard worker,” Arians said about Richardson. “Daniel [Jones] will push him. He’s going to really push him.”

Not many quarterback-related sentiments warrant the coverage that you see here, but when the quarterback whisperer himself speaks, we as a football audience should listen. Perhaps there are faults in Arians’ logic as there is no universal quarterback scripture to abide by, however, when someone has a resume that is littered with quarterbacking success like Arians does, the insight is invaluable.

Thankfully for Anthony Richardson and Colts fans alike, there’s a reality lurking that deems Arians’ sentiments to be true. There’s a lot of work to do, but if Richardson can figure it out, especially in the areas where Arians expressed scrutiny (i.e., 3rd downs and 2-minute drills), those questions and concerns can turn into praise.