Anthony Richardson Requests Trade from Colts, Indianapolis Grants Permission to Seek New Team

Anthony Richardson Sr. wants out of Indianapolis.

The 23-year-old quarterback has requested a trade from the Colts, and the organization has granted him permission to seek one, league sources confirmed to The Athletic and ESPN. It is a formal acknowledgment of what has become increasingly obvious: Richardson’s time with the Colts appears to be over.

For Richardson, this is not just a football decision. It is personal. After three difficult seasons marked by injuries, a lost quarterback competition, and a frightening eye injury that ended his 2025 campaign before it ever really got started, he is ready for a fresh start somewhere else.

How It All Unraveled in Indianapolis

Richardson was the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, selected with enormous expectations. The physical tools were undeniable. At 6-foot-4 with elite athleticism and a cannon for an arm, he looked like the franchise quarterback the Colts had been chasing for years.

But the promise never translated into production. Richardson has started just 15 games across three seasons in Indianapolis, throwing 11 touchdown passes against 13 interceptions. The injuries were relentless. And when he was available, the results were inconsistent enough that the organization moved on without him.

Last summer, Richardson lost his starting job to veteran Daniel Jones in a preseason quarterback competition. That was a turning point. Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury midway through 2025, but Richardson never reclaimed the starting role. Instead, the Colts turned to veteran Philip Rivers under center, while Richardson sat on injured reserve after fracturing the orbital bone in his right eye during a pregame warmup on October 12.

The injury was as scary as it sounds. A pregame warmup. A fractured orbital bone. His season was done before most fans had settled into their seats.

The Eye Injury and What Comes Next

Richardson had his 21-day practice window opened late in the season, but he was not cleared to return in time for the Colts’ season finale. Recent consultations with doctors, however, have provided encouraging news. According to a league source, his vision has been fully restored.

That matters. Teams that might have been hesitant to pursue a quarterback coming off a serious eye injury will now have reason to look more closely. Richardson is 23 years old. He has one year remaining on his rookie contract, assuming the Colts decline to exercise his fifth-year option, which now appears likely given the trade request.

A Young Quarterback Looking for a Second Chance

The difficult reality for Richardson is that the window for a second chance is now. He does not have the luxury of time in Indianapolis. With Jones slated to return as the starter and the organization showing no signs of rebuilding around their former top-five pick, staying would mean another year on the bench.

That is not an option he is willing to accept.

For the right team, Richardson represents real upside. He was drafted at 20 years old. He has barely scratched the surface of what he could become if given a stable situation, a competent supporting cast, and consistent reps. Those are not small requirements, but they are not unreasonable ones either.

The question now is which team is willing to make that bet.

Several organizations heading into 2026 with unsettled quarterback situations could have interest. Richardson will not come cheap in terms of draft capital, but his age and raw ability make him a worthwhile gamble for a franchise willing to invest in developing him properly.

What This Means for the Colts

For Indianapolis, this closes a chapter that never found its footing. The Colts drafted Richardson hoping to solve their long-standing quarterback problem. Instead, they are back where they started, with Jones as a stopgap option and no clear long-term answer under center.

It is a painful outcome for a franchise that has cycled through quarterbacks for years. Richardson was supposed to be different. He was supposed to be the one.

He still might be. Just not in Indianapolis.