Joe Flacco reacts to viral Anthony Richardson throw: 'I don't think I've ever seen a ball thrown that far in a game'
Joe Flacco could not believe what he saw Sunday from second-year Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson. Flacco, who is the backup for Richardson, came away stunned after one throw in particular from the young QB.
After Richardson launched a 60-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce, the veteran QB was there to hype up his teammate on the bench. Camera and microphones caught the interaction between the two.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the ball thrown that far in a game. Ever,” Flacco told Richardson. “Especially in a regular situation, not a Hail Mary.”
Flacco’s eyes were not deceiving him, as the NFL reported that Richardson’s pass traveled 65.3 yards through the air, making it the third-longest completion since that was a trackable stat.
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Richardson is coming off of a season-ending AC joint sprain that limited him to four games in 2023. He had scored seven total touchdowns in those games, including three rushing. In the four games he played during his rookie season, the Florida product finished with 577 yards passing with three touchdowns compared to one interception.
Indianapolis spent the No. 4 overall pick to land Richardson in the 2024 NFL Draft, so it is clear they see him as a potential franchise piece moving forward. He’s been impressive in his limited sample size thus far but will need to prove he can consistently put number numbers while leading his team to victory.
The Colts ultimately ended up losing to the Houston Texans by a score of 29-27 on Sunday. However, Richardson’s performance of 212 yards passing and three total touchdowns showed he will be a force to be reckoned with even coming off of injury.
Indianapolis will next face the Green Bay Packers at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday as it looks to notch its first win.