National Football League

Anthony Richardson to have season-ending shoulder surgery, Colts owner confirms

Published Oct. 18, 2023 11:51 a.m. ET

The Colts will be without Anthony Richardson for the rest of the season.

Colts owner Jim Irsay announced that the rookie quarterback will undergo season-ending surgery for the AC joint sprain he suffered in his throwing shoulder in Week 5.

"After consultation with our medical staff, Anthony, and those close to him, it has been determined that he will undergo surgery to repair his injured shoulder, which will end his season," Irsay wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. "Anthony is a competitor, and we know how difficult and disappointing this is for him and our team. We collected several medical opinions and we felt this was the best course of action for his long-term health. We anticipate a full recovery and there is no doubt Anthony has a promising future."

Richardson suffered the injury to his right shoulder during the Colts' win over the Titans on Oct. 8. His shoulder hit the turf hard when Titans linebacker Harold Landry landed on top of him when making a tackle. Richardson was removed from that game and didn't play in the Colts' Week 6 loss to the Jaguars.

Richardson was placed on injured reserve last week, indicating that he'd be out for at least four weeks. However, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported Sunday that Richardson would likely miss the remainder of the season, with Irsay confirming that notion.

Richardson got off to a good start in his rookie season, completing 59.5% of his passes for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception with an 87.3 passer rating. He also rushed for 136 yards on 5.4 yards per carry with four touchdowns.

The shoulder injury marked the second time Richardson suffered an ailment that forced him to miss a game. He suffered a concussion at the end of a touchdown run in the Colts' Week 2 win over the Texans.

Gardner Minshew, who'll be the Colts' starting quarterback going forward, helped close out the win in Week 2 and led the Colts to a road upset over the Ravens in Richardson's absence a week later. Minshew also helped lead the Colts to a win in Richardson's absence in Week 5, but wasn't able to pull off the upset against the Jaguars in Week 6, throwing three interceptions in the 37-20 loss.

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Even though the Colts fell to 3-3 and are without their impressive rookie quarterback for the rest of the season, Irsay remains confident in his team.

"I love the fight of this team and I’m excited for the opportunity we have ahead of us," Irsay wrote. "It starts this week with Cleveland."