Anthony Richardson returning to Colts practice amid concussion protocol

Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson missed the team’s last matchup against the Baltimore Ravens after suffering from a concussion in Week 2. But it seems that the electrifying dual-threat signal caller is working towards a return to action.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen revealed Wednesday that Richardson is has started taking normal reps at practice as he’s progressing through the NFL’s concussion protocol according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Richardson’s status for the Colts’ Sunday matchup against the Los Angeles Rams is still uncertain, but him returning to practice is a great sign.

A good sign that #Colts QB Anthony Richardson is progressing through the NFL's concussion protocol: He'll take his normal reps today in practice, per coach Shane Steichen.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 27, 2023

The NFL concussion protocol requires five different steps for a player to return to play, with ‘club-based non contact drills’ listed as the fourth step before a clearance to full football activity.

Non contact activities include throwing, catching, and running, which Richardson is likely partook in on Wednesday’s practice, and a complete evaluation both by the team’s physician and an independent neurological consultant would confirm a return to play for the rookie QB.

The Colts selected Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft, regarded as one of the most athletic quarterback prospects of all time standing at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds.

Richardson put that athleticism and physicality on display through the first two weeks of the season, where he completed 63.8% of his passes for 279 yards and a touchdown while also adding 75 yards and three rushing scores to his stat line before getting injured.

He was on pace for a monster game versus the Houston Texans in Week 2, going 6-for-10 through the air for 56 yards and rushing for 35 yards and two touchdowns before suffering from his concussion.

Richardson ripped off a 15-yard touchdown run that ended with him hitting the back of his head hard on the turf in the first quarter. He remained in the game for two more possessions before reporting his injury to staff, visiting the medical tent, and then the locker room ending his outing.

There’s no question that Richardson’s rushing abilities and physicality and a part of his game and play style, but something that he will have to balance going forward in order to avoid being a regular on the Colts’ injury report.

Being physical is “part of my game and part of my style,” Richardson told reporters. “I like to hit people first and try to put them in a pickle so they have to make a decision .… I’m going to try to play a little bit smarter and understand that I can’t take big hits if I’m trying to play the whole game.”

Hopefully Richardson will return to play soon for the Colts, and also bring out a play style that has a balance of physicality and awareness to avoid further injuries moving forward.

On3’s Suzanne Halliburton contributed to this report