Twitter explodes after Anthony Richardson goes No. 4 in the NFL Draft
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson is Indianapolis bound, going No. 4 overall to the Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Social media exploded Thursday after Richardson’s name was called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Here are the top reactions on Twitter.
How Richardson wants to be remembered at UF
Richardson came to Florida with aspirations to win championships, add a Heisman Trophy statue in front of the stadium and become a first-round draft pick. The latter will become a reality on Thursday night, but he wasn’t able to experience the team or individual success he hoped for.
Nonetheless, he still enjoyed his time with the Gators and playing for his hometown team. While Richardson provided the program with some excitement and highlights during two down years, he hopes the left a legacy he left off the field — always signing autographs and taking pictures for fans, visiting local schools and giving back to the community — will be remembered most.
“I definitely take pride in that, but I don’t think it’s just all about ball. I think it’s more important that they know who I am as a person,” Richardson said. “Understand that I’m not going to be perfect on the field, but off the field I just try to show love to everybody. They’re the ones coming to the game. So, just them coming to The Swamp, you know, supporting us, it was definitely a blessing. They show love to us, so why not show back? That’s what I want them to remember the most. Not just me jumping over people or running by people. All that’s fun and I’ve been doing that. That’s part of who I am. But just showcasing who I am off the field, that’s more important to me.
“I always just try to connect with people, outside of the stadium doing backflips with little kids. Nobody else is going to be doing that. Nobody else wants a quarterback to be doing that. But stories like that they’re going to be able to tell for the rest of their lives. And I appreciate that. Just having fun. I like having fun, making people smile, and making people happy. That just makes me feel good. You never know whose life you can change just by talking to them or giving them a high five, or even signing a little paper. You never know who that person is going to be in life. You never know what memories they’re going to be able to have through stuff like that.”
Stories and videos from Gators Online’s sit-down interview with Anthony Richardson.
Richardson’s Journey from ‘Hometown Hero’ to the NFL
Richardson reflects on highs, lows of Florida Gators career
Richardson ‘emotions are everywhere’ ahead of NFL Draft
Richardson happy with draft process but not his NFL Combine
More pre-draft coverage on Richardson this week
A rundown of the final mock draft picks on Anthony Richardson
Billy Napier about Anthony Richardson ahead of the 2023 Draft
How Napier felt about Richardson declaring early for the NFL
Trent Dilfer: Anthony Richardson’s inexperience a concern to NFL
![Florida Gators wide receiver Eugene Wilson III (3) hauls in a pass while taking balls from a throwing machine during University of Florida Gators’ Spring football practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 28, 2024. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/08/01212103/Untitled-design-80.png)
