Three-hundred and eight days later, Anthony Richardson put on his blue Colts jersey, took a snap from center Ryan Kelly and dropped back to pass on the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Richardson made his long-awaited return to game action in the Colts' preseason opener on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, playing seven snaps over two series. The 22-year-old quarterback completed two of four passes for 25 yards and scampered out of bounds for a gain of one on his lone rushing attempt.
While Richardson would've preferred better results from his limited playing time, he checked an important box in his journey back from a shoulder injury that ended his rookie season on Oct. 8, 2023.
"Just being able to put my uniform back on and being able to go back out there in front of all the fans and all the supporters, it's a blessing because I know I definitely missed it last year a lot, just running out there," Richardson said. "Just being back on the field, it's another step in the journey and hopefully I get to take some more."
For Richardson, there was plenty of value in going through his pregame routine on Sunday. The first time he does it in 2024, now, won't be as the clock ticks down to kickoff of Week 1's AFC showdown with the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"Throughout this whole process, I've been anxious to do a lot of things — just practice, put my helmet back on," Richardson said. "It's just taking it step by step, day by day and today we had a game and it just felt good being out there again."
The Colts went three-and-out to open the game, with Richardson handing off to running back Jonathan Taylor for a two-yard gain before quick pressure forced an incompletion on second down. Richardson threw incomplete to tight end Kylen Granson on third down.
On his next and final series, Richardson ripped a completion to tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who slipped by safety P.J. Locke for a catch-and-run gain of 19 yards. Richardson scrambled for a gain of one on the next play – cooly jogging out of bounds to avoid contact – then, after a Taylor run, completed a pass to Granson short of the sticks on third down.
While the Colts ran a basic, we're-not-putting-anything-on-tape offense, Richardson didn't use that as an excuse for feeling like he left some plays out there.
"It's a little different but not too different because at the end of the day you gotta execute the play, regardless of what coach calls out there," Richardson said. "I feel like it was good out there but sometimes you just want to do a little better."
Sunday's preseason opener may have been a relatively small step in the grand scheme of Richardson's 2024 season. But it was nonetheless an important one in getting the Colts' QB1 as prepped as possible for Sept. 8.
Because the results will start to matter, and the games will start to count, in just four weeks.
