Anthony Richardson is starting his second year as the youngest starter at quarterback.
By NFL standards, Anthony Richardson is considered a veteran. Yes, he missed a majority of the 2023 season due to injury, but he technically has a whole year under his belt. He was still with the team, he was still at practice, he still studied the playbook, and he still continued his overall development. Just because it is his second year with the Indianapolis Colts, it doesn’t mean Richardson isn’t still considered a young gun though. A very young gun. The youngest of guns. For the second straight year, Richardson is the youngest starting quarterback in the league.
Crazy, indeed.
This comes after the draft in which several rookies are slated to be their team’s starter. Although the rookie starters are older, it wasn’t always a foregone conclusion that Richardson would still be the youngest on opening day. Drake Maye was born in August of 2002 and Richardson in May. (Anyone else feeling old?) Maye, wasn’t named the starter in New England, however, so Richardson retains his title of youngest starting quarterback for the second straight year.
That was one of the things that drew the Colts to Richardson in the first place. He had immense talent with a small sample size. Even as a second year professional, Richardson still has very few starts at any level at quarterback under his belt. The Colts liked what they saw and knew he had plenty of time to continue to grow and develop his craft. To still be so young and with so much unlocked potential is exciting.
Age doesn’t equate success. Anthony Richardson being young doesn’t mean he is going to be better in the long run, but it certainly can’t hurt. It gives him the chance at a longer career and more room to add to his game. He isn’t a complete player yet. Richardson and the Colts have the chance to mold him before old habits become bad ones. While a young gun comes with mistakes, a young gun also comes with great opportunity.
