Since being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, Anthony Richardson has been compared to multiple intriguing players.
To name a few, Lamar Jackson, Cam Newton , and Michael Vick. Colts head coach Shane Steichen even compared him to NBA star Steph Curry .
The Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive coordinator entirely went a different route by not comparing Richardson to a professional athlete. In fact, he didn't even choose a real person with his comparison.
Anthony Richardson, the "Avatar of an Athlete"
Following practice on Thursday, Steelers DC Teryl Austin was asked, "What is unique about QB Anthony Richardson's mobility and ability to get out of an unfortunate pocket?" Below is Austin's answer.
"Yeah, he's a big man who is agile. He's strong. You'll see him on some designed quarterback runs, you know, guys will have angle on him and he'll beat them out to the sideline. He's unique in that way. He's just an avatar of an athlete. And then obviously when you are talking about him running, he has the ability to -- even as he's moving a little bit off balance -- to uncork a bomb. And so that's always dangerous. So the thing we obviously preach with our guys is to make sure that don't relax at any time versus this guy. He has enough ability to avoid rushes, create some space, and then also get the ball down the field."
- Steelers DC Teryl Austin
Now, there are two possible comparisons Austin could be making here. He could be comparing Richardson to the characters in the blockbuster movie "Avatar" or to the hit TV Show "Avatar the Last Air Bender."
Both could make sense, given the context. The movie Avatar features an alien species from another planet that are bigger and faster than humans. The TV Show Avatar, the Last Air Bender, follows a character capable of doing something that no one else in that world can do.
As a fan myself, I want to believe Austin was comparing Richardson to the hit TV show because he is truly the best athlete to ever play the quarterback position, which makes him truly one of one. He has also shown the ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs, which leave those watching in awe.
But even with those next-level plays on his highlight reel, there are even more instances of him making mistakes and missing throws that the average QB completes on a regular basis.
The combo of the good and the bad is actually the exact reason I love the comparison to "Avatar the Last Airbender." If you've watched the show, you remember the main character, Aang, had to struggle as he attempted to master the four elements, and if you haven't watched the show, I'm sure you think I'm a full-on nerd right now (And you'd be correct.) We've seen the good, and we've seen the bad with Richardson so far through his first seven NFL starts. We need him to find a way to be significantly more consistent, so we begin to see more of the good and less of the bad. And if he can do that, Austin's comparison of his athleticism will stretch even further, and it'll be about him as a QB, which is exactly why the Colts used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on him.
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