Remember when the Colts shook things up, announcing no guaranteed starting job for Anthony Richardson in 2025? That turned some heads. The guy who was supposed to be the face of the franchise suddenly had to battle it out with Daniel Jones. The Colts GM wasn’t too subtle about it, either. “There has to be real stress within that locker room. An uncomfortability that if I don’t play well enough, my ass will not be on the field.” But Anthony? The man took that message well.
Anthony Richardson wasn’t messing around. He’d lined up workouts with Josh Allen and biomechanics expert Chris Hess. The man was locked in. Heading into a pivotal year three, the fans were happy he was taking on that responsibility to level up. But let’s just say, something didn’t go according to plan.
All that excitement faded away when The Athletic‘s James Boyd revealed that those plans never materialised. “I asked Colts QB Anthony Richardson directly if he trained with Chris Hess, and Richardson said he didn’t. I’ll add that he also said he didn’t work out with Josh Allen,” he wrote on X.
I’ll add that #Colts QB Anthony Richardson also said he didn’t work out with Josh Allen.
(I’m not sure if his plans changed due to his shoulder injury in the spring, but this is what he said.)
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 29, 2025
It was a big letdown for the fans hoping they’d see a different version of Richardson after those workouts with Josh Allen. But those joint workouts went way beyond just tossing the ball around. They planned to dial in with virtual reality drills and fine-tune his mechanics with Chris Hess, the same guy who helped turn Josh Allen into a sniper. It was supposed to be full-on quarterback lab work.
From a fan perspective, it was hard not to get excited. Richardson, fresh off shoulder surgery and staring down a critical Year 3, this update felt like it would change everything. Linking up with the guy who helped Allen go from “raw project” to MVP-level star? That’s the kind of move that screams, “I’m serious about this.” Allen went from barely hitting 53% of his passes to nearly 70%, a leap that Richardson is chasing.
And Chris Hess could have helped him make that leap. Hess isn’t just some QB coach with a stopwatch. This guy runs motion capture labs and breaks down joint angles like it’s a science experiment (because it is). His guidance could help clean up Richardson’s biggest weakness: those short and intermediate throws, where he connected on just 51.7% last year. If anyone could’ve helped tighten up the touch and timing, it was Hess. So the big question: why on earth would Anthony Richardson not capitalize on it?
Why did Richardson pass up those workouts?
The reason behind Richardson’s decision lies in these recent events. Back in May, things hit a speed bump. Richardson was pulled from OTAs with soreness in that right shoulder. Yes, the same one that shut down his rookie year. The Colts called it a “minor setback,” but it was enough of a concern that they flew him out to L.A. for a second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Thankfully, no surgery was needed. But the verdict was clear: shut it down and rest.
That shoulder flare-up? Yeah, it changed everything. Richardson later admitted it “hit me hard,” and suddenly, all those ambitious offseason plans? Yeah, they had to get shelved. Accordingly, the entire focus shifted to one goal: just getting healthy enough to be ready for camp.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans Sep 17, 2023 Houston, Texas, USA Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson 5 falls backwards after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Houston NRG Stadium Texas USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTroyxTaorminax 20230917_tjt_at5_051
He didn’t push his luck. Instead of risking more damage with high-speed workouts alongside Josh Allen, Richardson played it smart. He stayed back in Florida, sticking to a more controlled recovery plan with his trainers. By mid-July, he was letting it rip again, and by the time camp kicked off? He looked dialed in. The man started with six straight completions in the Colts’ first fully padded session. Not bad for someone who hit pause just a couple of months ago.
GM Chris Ballard pulled back the curtain a bit on the Colts’ mindset, admitting they chose to play it safe with Richardson’s recovery. “We took a conservative approach,” he said, making it clear they were thinking long-term, not just the next practice rep. But the good news? Ballard says Richardson’s now “in great shape” and fully cleared to move forward.
Now that AR is back and cleared to go, the Colts’ QB battle is officially on. The most talked about storyline in camp right now. The team brought in Daniel Jones on a one-year, $14 million deal to crank up the pressure, and Shane Steichen is making sure this thing is no cakewalk. Also, the first-team reps? Split evenly so far. No favorites. No guarantees.
The post NFL Reports: Anthony Richardson Denies Josh Allen Connection as Shoulder Recovery Takes Priority appeared first on EssentiallySports.
