Colts QB Anthony Richardson says he 'respects' the decision made to name Daniel Jones starting QB

Just over two years after Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson won the starting job as a rookie over Gardner Minshew, the former No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has found himself on the other side of the coin. The Colts named Daniel Jones their starting quarterback on Tuesday, putting him in line to start Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 7.

Speaking for the first time since Jones was named the starter, Richardson said he "respected" the decision the organization made.

"You have to respect the decision," Richardson told reporters. "They feel like he's a better fit for the team and the outcome of us winning. You have to respect it and keep working. It doesn't undermine any of the work I've put in. It doesn't say I haven't improved. I'm proud of the improvement I've made."

Daniel Jones wins Colts' starting QB job: Former Giants first-rounder beats out Anthony Richardson

Cameron Salerno

For the first time in his NFL career, Richardson faced true competition for the starting job in training camp. Richardson was named Indianapolis' starting quarterback following his first preseason game as a rookie back in 2023, but winning the starting job heading into Year 3 of his career wasn't a sure thing.

During the first two seasons of his NFL career, Richardson has only appeared in 15 games. He played in just four games during his rookie campaign and finished with 577 yards passing and three touchdowns after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Richardson appeared in 11 games last season and dealt with various back, foot and hip injuries that cut his second season short.

"The big part of it is he's been injured," Colts coach Shane Steichen said on why Richardson hasn't developed the way the franchise hoped. "That's part of it. When you're not practicing and playing, it's hard to go out there and do the things you want to do. Part of that is staying healthy."

Richardson, when healthy, has shown flashes of living up to his high draft billing. Richardson's mix of arm strength and rushing ability (635 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career) gives the Colts a different look than Jones. However, the biggest issue Richardson has struggled with during his career is accuracy, as he's completed just 50.5% of his passing attempts.

Jones has had a similar up-and-down NFL career. Jones has thrown for 14,582 yards and 70 touchdowns across his first six seasons in the league, with his best season coming in 2022 when he threw for a career-high 3,205 yards and led the New York Giants to the playoffs. Jones was rewarded with a four-year, $160 million deal shortly after that season, but requested his release midway through the 2024 campaign after he was benched in favor of Tommy DeVito.

Jones signed with Minnesota for the remainder of last season before joining the Colts on a one-year, $14 million deal this offseason.