Anthony Richardson's rookie season with Colts ends with shoulder surgery ahead
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson will indeed undergo shoulder surgery that will end his rookie season after just four games. Team owner Jim Irsay made the announcement Wednesday.
The news doesn't come as a surprise after Irsay told ESPN on Monday that Richardson would "probably" miss the rest of the regular season, with surgery possible in the next week or so. Richardson suffered a reported Grade 3 AC joint sprain in his shoulder during a Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans and was placed on injured reserve last week.
The No. 4 overall pick in April's NFL draft missed two games and left two others early as the Colts have gotten off to a 3-3 start.
"After consultation with our medical staff, Anthony, and those close to him, it has been determined that he will undergo surgery to repair his injured shoulder, which will end his season," Irsay said in a statement. "Anthony is a competitor, and we know how difficult and disappointing this is for him and our team.
"We collected several medical opinions and we felt this was the best course of action for his long-term health. We anticipate a full recovery and there is no doubt Anthony has a promising future."
In the meantime, veteran Gardner Minshew has taken over at quarterback. He threw for 329 yards on Sunday against Jacksonville, but committed four turnovers in a 37-20 loss. Third-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who started three games in 2022, becomes Minshew’s backup, and the Colts also have former Vikings third-rounder Kellen Mond on the practice squad.
Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Richardson, Colts QB, to have season-ending shoulder surgery
