The Indianapolis Colts have settled one of their most watched quarterback questions, and Anthony Richardson Sr. came out on top.
Head coach Shane Steichen announced Thursday that Richardson will serve as Daniel Jones’ backup, with Riley Leonard likely handling the emergency third-quarterback role on game days. After months of back-and-forth, the Colts finally made the call.
It’s the latest turn in what has been a busy offseason for Richardson. Back in February, he asked for a trade, but nothing came together over the rest of the spring and summer. When the offseason program opened, he initially stayed away and trained on his own in Florida before eventually reporting and getting the chance to compete for the backup job with Leonard.
The two quarterbacks split first-team work during the offseason program in May and mandatory minicamp in June before Jones returned from his Achilles injury. That competition carried into training camp, where Richardson and Leonard divided second-team snaps fairly evenly through late July, August, and the preseason.
“I think we take everything into account with those guys,” Steichen said recently when asked about the QB2 decision. “Especially in the preseason when you're not playing the starters, it is important for those guys to earn a spot on this team and we look through that as well. Those game operations are important, so we take it all into account.”
For the Colts, this was not a simple choice. Richardson, now entering Year 4, is still working to clean up the details that have tripped him up - his mechanics, footwork, and the accuracy lapses that come with them.
He also had trouble handling shotgun snaps for much of the summer. But the upside never disappeared.
The “Wow!” plays were still there.
Leonard’s case was different. After flashing in limited rookie action, he appeared to be carrying too much of the mental load this summer instead of just playing.
Now the Colts have their pecking order set. Leonard heads into the 2026 season as the third quarterback, just as he did in 2025, though this time he’s logged far more meaningful offseason reps that should aid his development.
As for Richardson’s trade request, that seems to be fading fast. This week, Colts general manager Chris Ballard addressed the situation directly and said, “He (Richardson) is going to be an Indianapolis Colt this year.”
In Other News...
Colts Make An Early QB Call That Will Shape This Season
The Colts have made an early quarterback decision that gives a clearer picture of how they plan to open the 2026 season, with Anthony Richardson Sr. set to begin as the backup behind the starter. Shane Steichen said the choice was driven by preseason performance, a straightforward football call that carries plenty of weight for a team still sorting out its long-term answer under center.
It also comes against a busy early-week backdrop for Indianapolis, with Keenan Allen expected to be available for Week 1 despite a recent legal matter and Alec Pierce back in full practice after working through an ankle and heel injury. The Colts have also settled on their five captains and are still managing a few other injury situations, so while the quarterback pecking order is now clearer, the bigger roster picture is still settling into place. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Open Week 1 With A Rookie Problem They Didn't Expect
The Colts went into the spring and summer expecting rookie help on defense, but Week 1 could arrive before either of those additions is ready to take a starting role. Indianapolis drafted linebacker CJ Allen and safety AJ Haulcy with the idea of filling the void left by departing players, yet the opener against the Ravens may feature a different look if the rookies are not in place by kickoff.
Haulcy is still working back from an ankle injury and has not practiced recently, while Allen has returned from injury but has not locked down a first-team job. General manager Chris Ballard said Haulcy is progressing, though he would not put a timetable on his return, which leaves the Colts sorting through other options such as Hunter Wohler, Akeen Davis-Gaither and Jaylon Carlies as the opener gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Practice Collision Changed Two Careers In One Brutal Moment
An August practice at Grand Park was supposed to be one of those summer tune-up sessions where reserve players get live reps and coaches get a cleaner look at the back end of the roster. Instead, one collision changed the course of two careers when Colts safety Trey Washington delivered an illegal hip-drop tackle on running back Salvon Ahmed, a play that left Ahmed with a severe right ankle injury and ended his season before it really got going.
Washington later said the move was instinctive and not dirty, even though the technique is banned by the NFL, and Ahmed has since forgiven him. The strange part of the story is how quickly the two men moved in opposite directions from the same moment, with Ahmed trying to recover from the injury and Washington working his way to his NFL debut in October 2025. [Read more 🡒]