INDIANAPOLIS — If Zaire Franklin ever finds himself missing confidence in his crew’s quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts’ linebacker can merely look on the offensive huddle for a bit reassurance.
There, he’ll usually discover quarterback Anthony Richardson utterly comfortable, bouncing to a beat and displaying no signal that the appreciable pressures of the job are carrying on him.
“Man, after I look over there and [No.] 5 has that swagger in his step, man, I am simply attempting to provide the ball again to him,” Franklin mentioned. “This goes for me and each different man on this constructing, from coach to participant: Everyone believes in him.”
There is no such thing as a scarcity of stress on Richardson, the Colts’ second-year quarterback upon whose shoulders a lot of the franchise’s destiny rests. And he is aware of it.
“Because the franchise man,” Richardson mentioned, placing the time period in air quotes together with his fingers, “persons are anticipating you to win and do nice issues. So, that is some stress proper there in itself.”
Particularly in Indianapolis. Many see Richardson because the potential savior the franchise has been looking for because the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck in 2019; a younger passer the crew hopes can finish a years-long revolving door to nowhere on the place.
After a single season of short-lived success with Philip Rivers, and calamitous one-year experiments with Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan, Richardson was drafted final 12 months to lastly set the franchise on a path ahead. In Sunday’s season opener in opposition to the Houston Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS), he’s anticipated to turn out to be the primary Colts quarterback to begin back-to-back openers since Luck did so in 2015 and 2016.
Richardson’s very presence was a serious motivating issue behind the Colts doubling down on final 12 months’s veteran roster, committing an combination whole of greater than $180 million in contracts throughout the offseason to seven in-house free brokers to, they hope, set them up for a run at their first AFC South title since 2014.
In the meantime, Richardson can be a brand new father and newly engaged, even whereas he is coping with the realities that include being the face of an NFL franchise. His gigantic likeness at present graces the aspect of the JW Marriott Indianapolis — a downtown landmark — and he has the advertising and media calls for to match that stature, prefer it or not.
“I am not likely into all of the flash and glamour and stuff like that,” he mentioned.
However within the face of all of it, Richardson stays unfazed.
“He would not get rattled,” normal supervisor Chris Ballard mentioned. “That is a very good factor.”
Richardson’s been-there-done-that perspective might sound stunning below the circumstances. He’s 22 years previous and has 4 NFL begins to his credit score after a season-ending shoulder harm final October. This comes after a mere 13 faculty begins at Florida and a late begin to enjoying quarterback in highschool.
How has Richardson managed to take care of a lot perspective with a lot swirling round him? Others within the Colts’ group have some theories.
One, espoused by veteran heart Ryan Kelly, is that Richardson gained a singular viewpoint final season when he missed 13 video games with a sprained AC joint. He is already overcome an terrible circumstance, Kelly mentioned, so the pressures he now faces pale by comparability.
“I am not saying he was in a shell in his rookie 12 months,” Kelly mentioned, “however you are feeling the burden of all the pieces. I believe now he is form of let that out a bit bit. So, it has been a pleasure to see.”
Then once more, Richardson has all the time proven some indicators of being a cool buyer. There could be no higher instance than the Colts’ Week 4 assembly with the Los Angeles Rams final season. The Colts yielded 272 yards of offense within the first half whereas Richardson accomplished simply 4 passes earlier than halftime. Indianapolis trailed 20-0.
It was the rookie’s third begin and circumstances had been bleak. Then got here the second half.
“There wasn’t a number of hope,” Ballard mentioned. “Subsequent factor you realize, we’re tying the freaking factor up. I mentioned, ‘Okay that is what this man can do.'”
After the Colts fell behind 23-0 with seven minutes remaining in third quarter, Richardson helped the Colts mount a livid rally with three second-half touchdowns (one speeding, two passing). The Colts tied the sport at 23-23 and finally misplaced in time beyond regulation, however Ballard had seen sufficient — together with Richardson’s 38-yard completion to Alec Pierce whereas being wrapped up by fearsome defensive sort out Aaron Donald.
Off the sphere, tight finish Kylen Granson pointed to Richardson’s upbringing as a consider his capacity to stay even-keeled.
Richardson famously performed a vital position in elevating his youthful brother, Corey Carter, usually dashing off after college at Eastside Excessive in Gainesville, Florida to scoop Corey up from elementary college on the handlebars of Richardson’s bicycle. After getting Corey squared away at dwelling — their mom, LaShawnda Lane, usually labored a number of jobs to help the household — Richardson would scramble again to high school for soccer observe.
“You have to be the instance within the family, and I believe that brings a number of maturity,” Granson mentioned, including that he is seen Richardson assert himself extra within the assembly room this 12 months.
Bringing all of it full circle, Franklin mentioned, is the buy-in Richardson has earned from his teammates, which has garnered their full-throated help. That, in flip, fuels much more confidence and permits Richardson to maintain confronting one problem after one other, undaunted.
“Everyone right here trusts him,” Franklin mentioned. “And I believe with that help, it permits him to go on the market and be fearless. He cannot be mistaken as a result of we have got him, it doesn’t matter what.”
