Clarity came quickly in Indianapolis. Amid a wave of injury questions, Colts head coach Shane Steichen delivered the most straightforward answer of the week regarding cornerback Sauce Gardner.

That moment came via The Athletic’s James Boyd on X. When Steichen was asked if cornerback Gardner would play again this season, the Colts head coach didn’t hedge or expand. He answered with one word.

“Yes,” he said.

The clarity mattered because Sauce Gardner will not play in Week 16. The Colts officially ruled him out for Monday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers due to a lingering calf injury. Gardner has not practiced or played since suffering the injury early in Indianapolis’ Week 13 loss to the Houston Texans. This will be his third straight missed game.

Still, the Colts are not shutting him down. Gardner’s season isn’t over. Acquired from the Jets earlier this year, Sauce Gardner has appeared in 10 total games, including three with Indianapolis. In that span, he has recorded 33 tackles and eight passes defended. His absence has been felt, but the team believes the return is coming.

Meanwhile, the rest of the injury picture continues to shift. Wide receiver Anthony Gould has also been ruled out for Monday due to a foot injury. With Ashton Dulin still on injured reserve, Indianapolis will again rely on Ameer Abdullah and Coleman Owen to handle return duties.

There was better news elsewhere. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is expected to return after missing five games with a neck injury. “Buck should be ready to roll,” Steichen said, confirming Buckner will be activated off injured reserve. His return adds immediate stability to the interior defense.

The Colts also continue to monitor left tackle Bernhard Raimann, who returned to practice Saturday after missing earlier sessions this week. His status remains uncertain.

Elsewhere, Anthony Richardson and safety Daniel Scott remain in their 21-day activation windows. Richardson will not play on Monday, but both players remain options later.

For now, the headline is simple. Sauce Gardner won’t play yet. But he will play again. And according to his coach, that much is not up for debate.

Anthony Richardson takes first steps back as Colts begin QB countdown

The moment was quiet but meaningful. After weeks away from the field, Anthony Richardson was back in uniform, throwing passes and moving through drills. For the Indianapolis Colts, it wasn’t a return to game action. It was something more deliberate. A checkpoint. A signal that the next phase of his recovery has begun.

Richardson returned to practice Thursday for the first time since being placed on injured reserve on October 12 with an orbital fracture. The move opened a 21-day window for the Colts to decide if and when he will be added back to the 53-man roster. Through three practices, Richardson was a limited participant each day.

Head coach Shane Steichen kept the message measured.

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“It was great to get him back out there at practice,” Steichen said. “He threw it well. We’re just taking it one day at a time.”

The plan has been controlled. Richardson worked with the scout team offense as part of his ramp-up. He said he has no “major limitations” with his eye injury and feels capable of moving and throwing as needed. Still, the Colts are not rushing the process.

Steichen confirmed earlier in the week that Richardson will not be activated for Monday night’s game against San Francisco. That decision remains unchanged. Even if Richardson is cleared later in the window, his role is expected to be limited.

Thursday’s practice also offered a visual contrast. Richardson shared the field with Philip Rivers, the 44-year-old veteran currently running the offense. Rivers praised Richardson’s mindset and patience through injuries, calling him a quarterback with “a lot of football ahead of him.”

Richardson returned the respect.

“He’s a vet, he’s a pro,” Richardson said. “He knows how to ask the right questions.”

For now, Rivers remains the starter. With Daniel Jones on season-ending injured reserve, the Colts value stability. Richardson’s next possible return date would be Week 17 against Jacksonville, but even that remains undecided.

As Steichen put it, the Colts are taking this exactly how they planned. One day at a time.