Colts' Anthony Richardson responds to critics who say he's injury-prone

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson somewhat defiantly said this past spring he didn't "feel like there's anything wrong with [his] play style, " even though injuries limited him to just four games as a rookie.

Richardson then went down with what's been reported as oblique and abdominal strains in this past Sunday's 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers that improved the Colts to 2-2 on the season.

On Wednesday, the 22-year-old responded to those who say he's injury-prone and won't ever stay healthy through an entire campaign because of how he uses his dual-threat skills during games.

"It's football," Richardson said, as shared by Stephen Holder of ESPN. "I'm pretty sure if [fans] got out the house and came out here and got hit by somebody that's running 20-plus miles per hour every week , I'm pretty sure they'll be sore, dealing with injuries as well. So, people are going to talk. That's what people do and I'm not necessarily worried. I'm just trying to focus on getting better."

The Colts made Richardson the fourth overall pick of the 2023 draft and subsequently named him their Week 1 QB1 that summer, even though he recorded just 13 college starts. He was then visibly shaken up late in his regular-season debut before he suffered a concussion in Week 2, and he ultimately required surgery on his shoulder following his fourth career start.

According to the StatMuse website, Richardson began Thursday ranked 24th in the NFL with 795 combined passing and rushing yards on the season. Per Pro Football Reference, he's 21st in the league among qualified players with a 48.2 adjusted QBR, 30th with a 35.8 percent passing success rate and last with a 50.6 completion percentage.

In short, the numbers suggest Richardson could benefit from embracing some changes this fall for multiple reasons.

Team owner Jim Irsay, head coach Shane Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter are among individuals within the Colts who repeatedly have said they won't limit how often Richardson tries to make plays with his legs regardless of the risks that arise each time the second-year pro scrambles. Until he shows otherwise, there's little reason to believe Richardson won't be sidelined again before Week 18.

As of Thursday morning, it was unclear if Richardson or veteran backup Joe Flacco would get the nod for Indianapolis' game at the 0-4 Jacksonville Jaguars this coming Sunday. Flacco completed 16-of-26 passes for 168 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the victory over Pittsburgh.