Anthony Richardson Showed 'Great Poise' in Preseason Debut, Colts HC Steichen Says

Anthony Richardson suited up in an Indianapolis Colts uniform for a game for the first time Saturday, and his performance impressed head coach Shane Steichen.

The first-year coach said that despite an interception, his rookie quarterback showcased what he could do in the preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

"I thought he had great poise," Steichen said, per Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. "I knew we had the early interception. That's my fault. We've got to do a better job communicating on that one... That starts with coaching, starts with myself. Other than that, I thought he was efficient."

Richardson went 7/12 for 67 yards and the interception in the game, which the Colts lost 23-19.

Richardson was taken by the Colts with the fourth overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, making him the third quarterback off the board.

He threw for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns with nine interceptions for the Florida Gators in 2022, but his value really comes from his physical tools.

He possesses a 6'4", 244-lbs frame and has a player comparison to Cam Newton. His potential to blossom into a superstar quarterback is significant, but he will need proper development to get there. For Steichen to highlight Richardson's poise, it shows that he is making strides.

He is currently involved in a quarterback battle with Gardner Minshew. Minshew was efficient in the game against the Bills, going 6-for-6 for 72 yards. The two have been splitting reps in practice and the performance in the preseason will help determine who is running the Colts offense in 2023.

Whoever is the day one starter, it won't take much to improve on last season. The Colts went 4-12-1 and had the 27th-ranked offense in the NFL.

Richardson will have two more preseason contests against the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles to make a play for the starting role. The Colts' regular season begins Sept. 10 when they host Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars.