Anthony Richardson is ready to be a sponge as he absorbs it all from his new teammate and compeтιтion, ex-Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.
Speaking Tuesday as the Colts’ offseason program got underway, the third-year quarterback expressed excitement about getting to work with Jones, 27, who is also vying for the starting job after agreeing to a one-year, $14 million deal with the team in free agency.
“The main thing I want to learn from him is how to navigate the pressure of everything, how to navigate when things aren’t going the best how you stay with it and stay focused and just keep grinding, and also how to work,” Richardson said, according to the Colts’ website.
“He’s a smart guy so I’m looking forward to just learning everything that he has to offer and just getting better as a team.”
If anyone has ridden an NFL rollercoaster, it’s Jones.
The Giants’ sixth overall pick in 2019, Jones’ tenure in New York was riddled by injuries and uneven play. The team pulled the escape hatch on Jones’ four-year, $160 million contract extension last season by granting him his release in November after Big Blue fell to 2-8.
He finished the year with the Vikings before testing the waters in free agency.
Richardson, the Colts’ fourth overall pick just two years ago, is looking to turn things around following a rocky start to his NFL career.
He played in just four games during his rookie season and underwent shoulder surgery in October 2023 to repair a sprain.
Though Richardson, 22, opened the 2024 season as the starter, he missed time in October due to an oblique injury.
The former Florida product sparked controversy a month later when he took himself out of a game against the Texans because he felt “tired.” The Colts benched him in favor of Joe Flacco, but he returned later in the year.
Richardson said Tuesday he’s fired up about competing as it “brings the best out of you.”
“That’s just how life works, you just gotta compete and get better because somebody to the right, left or in front of you is trying to out-work you and be better than you. Compeтιтion, I love it,” he said.
In his final season with the Giants, Jones threw for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions while Richardson tossed for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions through 11 games in 2024.
