Anthony Richardson didn’t trip over a helmet. Or get blindsided in a scrimmage. He just threw a football – like he’s paid to do – and somehow that familiar pain in his right shoulder crept back in. Again. And just last month, Shane Steichen didn’t sugarcoat it. He told reporters Richardson’s AC joint – the same one that had already cost him 12 games in his rookie season – was aggravated during OTAs. That meant no more reps. No minicamp. No timetable. Just rehab, ice, and crossed fingers. Richardson tried to shrug it off, calling it “not really even a bump in the road. I feel like I tripped, I fell. Just got back up and hit the ground running again.” But the Colts weren’t committing to anything. Not yet.

But now, all that changed when ESPN Colts insider Stephen Holder reported on ESPN NFL Live, “The good news here, Anthony Richardson’s shoulder, everything I’ve heard indicates that’s gonna be good going into training camp.” That was the first clear sign of green lights since the initial flare-up. And it might’ve added some unexpected weight to Daniel Jones’ helmet. “I’ve seen video of him throwing the football. He looks strong there, but he has to, I think, overcome the concept and the narrative that he is consistently hurt,” Holder added. So now, if Anthony Richardson is back, this quarterback competition is no longer theoretical. It’s live. And for Jones, that means no more walk-throughs and handshakes. It’s time to win the job.

Until now, Jones had the edge. The Colts signed him in March to push the pace in Indy and provide some security while Richardson’s health hung in limbo. With Anthony sidelined in June, Jones took all the first-team reps. No complaints. He moved the offense well. Looked in rhythm. Said the right things. A veteran doing veteran things.

But all of that came with an invisible asterisk: the other guy wasn’t on the field. That changes on July 22 when training camp opens at Grand Park. The Colts will reportedly give both quarterbacks an equal shot, just like they tried with Gardner Minshew and Anthony Richardson in 2023. Same setup. First-team reps split situationally. One day might be the red zone. The next might be two-minute drills. And yes, the rotation matters.

What also matters is that Richardson is finally getting a real chance to reset. He’s missed 17 games in two years. The AC joint isn’t new. Neither is the concussion. Or the back spasms. Or the oblique strain. Even when healthy, the numbers haven’t been convincing – eight touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a league-worst 47.7% completion rate last season. Yet here we are again, wondering if this will be the start of something or another stall. That alone shifts the tone in Indy. Not because Richardson is suddenly a lock, but because now the Colts’ QB battle has both fighters in the ring.

Jones vs. Richardson: Now it’s a real fight

Colts GM Chris Ballard didn’t draft Anthony Richardson to hand him a redshirt. But he also didn’t sign Daniel Jones just for emergency depth. This competition was planned long before the shoulder acted up, and it was always supposed to come down to consistency, not contracts. “We’ve got to have competition at the position,” Ballard said back in January. “For one, for the fact that competition makes everybody better. And then two, he’s [Richardson] not proven he can play 17 games.” 

Jones, for all his flaws, has done that. He’s also done the opposite. Benched in New York. Beat up in Minnesota. But he’s been available. He’s been a pro. And in the Colts’ open practices, he’s looked the part. That’s the bar now. Not just looking the part for a week. But stacking days. Staying healthy. Making throws on third and long. Surviving red zone installs and padded practices. And doing it all without limping to the sideline. Steichen already spelled it out: “It’s really going to come down to who’s the most consistent.”

So when camp opens on July 22, forget the highlight throws or flashy scrambles. This isn’t about viral clips. It’s about earning the job day by day, with the other guy breathing down your neck. Because come September 7, when the Dolphins roll into town, only one name is going up on the depth chart. The other? He’s either waiting or healing. Again.