The Indianapolis Colts made the shocking decision to name Daniel Jones their starting quarterback over Anthony Richardson, the franchise’s former fourth overall pick in the NFL draft.
It’d be hard to blame Richardson if he let the benching affect his mood in the locker room. However, according to offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, Richardson is handling things like a consummate professional.
“I think all our character gets tested in adversity, right, which is kind of when you don’t get what you want or when you’re in a situation that maybe you didn’t pick,” Cooter said, according to Pro Football Talk. “Anthony has been a great teammate throughout, and he’s been a great — he’s going about his business the right way here in the meeting room and getting ready for this season.
“Coach [Steichen] said it, if you’re the backup for any position, you’re one play away. You’ve got to prepare. You’ve got to be ready to go. Anthony’s been preparing well. Like I said, he’s been a great teammate, which is important in this situation. Any of these types of situations are tests for any of us — and he’s doing a nice job there, and looking forward to watching him grow and develop as we go.”
“I think he’s continuing to learn the exact sort of right process for himself, and that might be different in the offseason than training camp, in training camp than the season,” Cooter continued. “I think Year 3, he’s got a better plan in place for what his game week looks like than maybe he did Year 1. Those are the types of things where anybody’s improving their process as they’re a player developing in this league.
“Shoot, we’re trying to do it as coaches. What’s our weekly process like? What do I do Tuesday when I walk out of this room with you guys that can make me a little better than what I did last year on this Tuesday? That’s what we’re all looking to do.
“Anthony’s doing the same stuff. It might be watching a different tape at a different time. It might be doing some sort of recovery tactic at a different time or trying something new. All that stuff — whatever he’s up to, some of that I’ll let him share or not share as he wants to. But we’re all looking to improve. Sometimes it’s one percent, little small improvements — I see him looking to find those.”
It’ll be interesting to see if the Colts end up turning to Richardson this season.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.