Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen isn't saying whether he'll have a package of plays for backup quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Asked if the 6-foot-4, 244-pound quarterback could contribute in short-yardage or red-zone situations, Steichen deflected.
"We'll see," Steichen said, via the Indy Star. "I want to make sure he crushes his new role, takes it in stride and does a hell of a job there."
Richardson lost the starting quarterback job to Daniel Jones and begins the season as the backup. The Colts maintain they are not giving up on the former 2023 No. 4 overall pick and want him to focus on succeeding in his new assignment.
"There's two ways you can handle this: Like, you can go in the dumps, or you can accept the challenge and accept the challenge to keep getting better," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said earlier this week. "Be prepared. Continue to work on your fundamentals. Continue to work on the daily game planning that has to happen as a quarterback, to collaborate with the other quarterbacks in your game planning, and then being ready to go because you're one snap away."
Richardson's 10 rushing TDs since 2023 rank third among QBs, behind only Jalen Hurts (29) and Josh Allen (27).
Jones is mobile, so deploying Richardson for his rushing skills is not essential. Still, his presence could force opposing defenses to prepare for different looks if Steichen uses him as a change-of-pace option. It might also reduce the number of hits Jones takes, given his own injury history.
It's notable that the Colts didn't use Richardson as a short-yardage runner in two games Joe Flacco started last season following the young QB's benching.
"Every year is different," Steichen said. "I want him to crush his new role, be a pro every day, come into the building, work, and we'll see where it goes."
Evidently, 'crush his new role' is Steichen's corporate buzz phrase for Richardson. If the former first-round pick plays that part, perhaps he'll see a few snaps here and there.
