Colts' Anthony Richardson Reveals Mindset for Debut vs. Jaguars
Sunday afternoon will be an experience Anthony Richardson will never forget.
Just before the Indianapolis Colts take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, the rookie quarterback will run out of the tunnel as he is introduced with the starters in front of a sold-out Lucas Oil Stadium. The ovation Richardson is expected to receive from the thousands of fans in attendance will cause the stadium to shake. It will be a surreal moment for the 21-year-old from Gainesville as he begins his NFL career.
While the flood of emotions will probably hit Richardson at that time, it is not what he is focused on at the moment. He has more important matters to worry about, such as starting the season 1-0.
“No, I haven’t really put too much thought into it," Richardson answered when asked about coming out of the tunnel for the first time. "I’m just trying to prepare for the game and make sure I’m on point. Running out of the tunnel and all that, that’s going to come but me being on point and being ready – that’s one thing I’m focused on right now.”
Richardson and this young Colts team will be put to the test against the Jaguars on Sunday. The reigning AFC South champions are looking to build off last season's success, hoping to join the upper echelon of the conference. The Colts, on the other hand, are beginning a new era with a rookie head coach and quarterback leading the way.
Facing off against the division champs is a challenge Richardson is up for. While he may only be a rookie, Richardson knows he has to be at his best for the Colts to start the season on the right foot.
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"I got to be on top of my A-game," Richardson explained Wednesday. "I got to be on point with the team and with myself. Really just focus on the details and get ready for Week 1.”
One of the most impressive qualities about Richardson is his dedication to preparation. While it is not required, many of the great quarterbacks throughout the NFL come into the facility on their off day to continue preparing for that week's opponent. Head coach Shane Steichen made it known that Richardson has already made that practice a part of his weekly routine.
"(Richardson) is very focused," Steichen remarked. "He was in here yesterday for, I don’t know, eight hours getting ready for this game on his day off, grinding away. He’s prepared, he’s ready. We’ve got to have a great week of practice. I truly believe the preparation throughout the week has a huge factor on how you play on Sunday. So, we’ve got to have a great practice, he’s got to have a great practice."
"Coming in on an off day, I think that’s part of the job," Richardson explained. "Putting in extra work, getting ready for the game because I know other people are putting in extra work. My teammates are putting in extra work because I see them in the building as well. It’s just a matter of me doing the same thing and getting ready for Week 1.”
The last two great franchise quarterbacks for the Colts, Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, were lauded for their preparation and how they studied for their upcoming opponents. Their diligent preparation allowed the legendary quarterbacks to play quickly and freely on Sundays. Richardson wants to have that type of freedom on the field.
“Don’t overthink it," Richardson admitted when asked how he is preparing. "Football is football. Trust my trainer, trust my information, trust my teammates, trust the coaches and just go out there and play. Don’t overthink it and just play football.”
Manning and Luck also earned tremendous respect from their teammates because of how hard they prepared during the week. Richardson is on his way to obtaining that level of respect as well, as the rookie was voted a team captain by his fellow players. Teammates have noticed Richardson is mature beyond his years, and when you combine that with his insane athletic ability, it is easy to see why the quarterback has quickly won over the locker room.
"The way (Richardson) comes into work every day and handles his business around the facility. Just takes care of business," guard Quenton Nelson elaborated. "What he’s done in the huddle with communication, getting the cadence right and everything has been great. Then on the field, just how special he is. He can run the ball, he can throw, he can do it all – and he’s special.”
Nelson is not the only Colts' leader who has noticed Richardson's growth and preparation. Fellow captains DeForest Buckner, Ryan Kelly, and Zaire Franklin have all spoken positively about the rookie quarterback and have given him advice on what to expect in his first NFL start. They trust that he will be able to run the show without any issues.
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“The trust from my teammates and the coaches. Them believing in me and trusting me and me knowing my information. That lets me know that I’m ready,” Richardson said.
Heading into his first start for an organization with a history of great franchise quarterbacks, no one would blame Richardson for feeling a little pressure. The thousands of Colts fans cheering for him on Sunday all hope he will become the next great quarterback in Indy.
Richardson does not see it that way. As long as he is confident and prepared, he feels there will not be pressure.
“One of my coaches at Florida told me that pressure is for the unprepared," Richardson revealed. "I just try to prepare the best way I can and not try to focus on the pressure because a lot of people are going to try to put pressure on me, but I just have to rely on my teammates and myself so we can just go out there and play.”
Sunday will be much different than anything Richardson encountered in the preseason. The Jaguars defense will have a specific game plan to stop him. Steichen and the Colts will also have a plan tailored to Richardson's strengths, putting him in positions to succeed. Lucas Oil Stadium is bound to be bursting with anticipation for their new quarterback.
But Richardson is ready. Everything he has been working for his entire life has led to this moment. His preparation cannot be questioned, and as Richardson waits to be introduced and run through that tunnel, it will not be pressure the rookie is feeling. It will be excitement.
"I’m just excited to see what we are going to do.”
Just like we all are, #5.
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