Colts' Richardson, Downs Working Toward Being Next Great Tandem

Indianapolis Colts rookies Anthony Richardson and Josh Downs are putting in the work behind the scenes to be the team's next great quarterback-wide receiver duo.

Sometimes in the NFL, what separates the great players from the background performers is the work they put in when no one's watching. So far, Indianapolis Colts rookies Anthony Richardson and Josh Downs are putting in that unseen work in their own free time.

“Me and Anthony Richardson, we actually went outside last night at the hotel, threw the ball for about 30 minutes, chopped it up," Downs told reporters during the first day of Colts rookie minicamp. "Just getting to know him more too. So, I feel like it’s going to be a good few years here.”

The Colts invested the fourth-overall pick in last week's 2023 NFL Draft in Richardson and paired him in the third round with Downs, a shifty, playmaking slot receiver who already looks due for a prominent role in the offense as a rookie.

"I went in the equipment room and grabbed a football so I could get accustomed with it and (Downs) saw me carry it around," Richardson said. "I knew he wanted to work 'cause he's a dawg, he's always gonna want to work."

From there, Downs texted Richrdson after a meeting to link up afterward. Even before he got the call that he was going to be a Colt, this situation is just what Downs wanted.

"This is the exact scenario I wanted to be in," Downs said. "I wanted to be in a situation with a young quarterback that we could build together, that we could build that relationship and we could go and have a big future together."

Downs would then describe Richardson as having the "biggest upside in the draft out of anyone." After throwing with Richardson in the hotel parking lot on Thursday night, Downs said of Richardson, “His arm is crazy. He’s got a tight spiral and I like catching the ball from him.”

“Yeah, I like guys like that for sure," Downs said. "Having a quarterback that loves putting in work, I know he’s a gamer. Just from that, I know he’s ready to go any time and he’s going to put in the work to be great.”

The Colts have a rich history of prolific quarterback-wide receiver tandems, going all the way back to Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry to Peyton Manning with Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, followed by Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton.

Richardson and Downs obviously have a long way to go to be mentioned in that air, but they certainly want it. The players' initiative hasn't gone unnoticed by their new head coach, either.

"I think that's awesome," Colts head coach Shane Steichen said. "I think when those guys start that chemistry early or just wanna be all football and talk football and throw the football in the parking lot, I think that's tremendous to get that going."

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