Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is never shy about sharing his opinion. Not many NFL fans know the names of all of the owners but everyone knows Irsay thanks to his boisterous attitude. The owner is not hiding his feelings about what he thinks the team should do with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. He thinks he should start right away.
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Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay Wants Anthony Richardson To Start
The teams signed Gardner Minshew this offseason and many wondered whether he would start in order to let Richardson develop. Irsay is against this plan as he revealed on the Pat McAfee Show.
“As you guys know, Peyton (Manning’s rookie) year we were 3-13, the first year. “That’s a guy who played a lot of college games and was really prepared as much as he could be for the league. So, for Anthony Richardson, it’s going to be tough. We know that. But he has to play to get better. I mean, there’s no question. Gardner (Minshew) could come out and play better early on, him just being a veteran, but we have to get Anthony on the field. And that’s (head coach) Shane (Steichen’s) call when he decides to do it.”
There’s no confusion about what Irsay thinks. He saw it work with Manning and thinks it will work just fine with Richardson as well.
He’s Got A Point
Richardson should start. His athletic ability alone gives the team a better chance to win. Even if he is a raw passer and struggles early on, his legs will allow him to make dynamic plays. Minshew simply would not provide that dimension to the offense. The only fear is that the season goes so horribly that it destroys Richardson’s confidence. While that is a valid concern, I think Richardson can take his lumps without it affecting him too much.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was pushing for the team to take the quarterback in the future in this draft. He got his wish as Richardson fell to them at number four. Now the hope is he can develop and lead the Colts back to relevance in the AFC.
