22-Year-Old Quarterback Has NFL 'Scared to Death'

Gone are the days of Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. Here are the days of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and the NFL's newest crop of young star quarterbacks.

The Athletic's Mike Sando attempted to rank the league's quarterback tiers for 2024 with insight from 50 anonymous NFL coaches and executives.

According to one current head coach, Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson has many within the league shaking in their boots.

"Everybody is scared to death of him in the NFL," the coach claimed, via Sando.

Despite the high praise, the 22-year-old finished tied for 26th overall with fellow 2023 draft pick and division rival Will Levis, comfortably in Tier 4.

Sando classified Tier 4 as the category for quarterbacks who "could be an unproven player (not enough information for voters to classify) or a veteran who ideally would not start all 17 games."

According to a different offensive coach in Sando's write-up, Richardson is "the closest thing to Cam Newton since Cam, being a man that big who can run the ball and rip it."

The 6-foot-4, 244-pounder started only four games as a rookie in 2023, throwing for 577 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception and adding another 4 touchdowns on the ground.

An AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder (right) ultimately led to season-ending surgery by mid-October.

Richardson and the Colts open their 2024 regular season at home against the Houston Texans on Sunday, September 8.

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