Indianapolis, IN
Anthony Richardson In Regular Season Form, Which Won’t Be Great For Colts In 2024
Good news, Indianapolis Colts fans: Anthony Richardson is ready for the 2024 NFL regular season, as he proved Thursday evening.
Richardson, the Colts bright, young quarterback of tomorrow, showed in five possessions of this preseason finale that he is raw.
And good.
And terrible.
He showed he is still as inconsistent as he was in college at the University of Florida because he hasn’t played enough football in college or the NFL to be anything else.
In short, he showed everyone a preview of what is to come this season.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) throws a pass in the first quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Richardson’s Rollercoaster Will Continue
A few weeks ago, in an interview available on the team’s YouTube page, Richardson described his rookie season as a “rollercoaster.”
He ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
He ain’t seen enough blitzes, cloud coverages, or defenses ready for Indy’s RPOs, and pass rushes intended to contain him in the pocket. Richardson is about to face all those. He’s about to face a lot of problems.
And if he can’t find solutions quickly, there’s no way he can be consistent.
The good news? Consistency is a two-edged sword because Richardson is too gifted to be consistently bad.
So what we’re going to see is something akin to what we saw this game. A stomach-churning rollercoaster ride.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) throws a pass in the second quarter of the NFL preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Great Opening Drive For Richardson
This preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t count. But it did matter.
Richardson, playing with the Colts’ starting offensive unit, led an impressive opening drive. He completed 7 of 8 passes on that one, including a 9-yard TD to Adonai Mitchell.
On that drive, we witnessed what Colts fans are hoping to see from their quarterback going forward.
He looked every bit the part of a young Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck.
So, optimism time in Indianapolis.
Then reality set in.
Richardson threw an interception on his next possession. And the interception wasn’t the worst part of the play.
Aug 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
The Reality Of Anthony Richardson
The interception, you see, was plucked out of the air by Bengals safety Jordan Battle and returned for a touchdown. And a Pick Six is worse the worst kind of interception.
As the terrible play was unfolding, an obviously distressed Richardson threw his hands up in the air and cringed and complained in frustration because he and tight end Kylen Granson were clearly not on the same page.
“The interception, that was a tough one,” Richardson said afterward. “Communication right there. Granson saw something and I saw something else. We’ve just got to be on the same page right there.”
The point isn’t that the two players who work together in practice every day weren’t synced up. That happens. The point is the sight of a clearly vexed Richardson was caught by the Amazon streaming service cameras in full focus.
And terrible body language by the quarterback during a pick six is more than bad optics. The last thing any coach wants to see from his quarterback is bad body language amid adversity.
It didn’t get much better afterward.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) smiles while warming up Saturday, July 27, 2024, during the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp at Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield.
A Preview Of 2024 Season
Richardson and the Colts’ starting offense got three more drives in this game, leaking into the second quarter. And they went scoreless in all of those.
Richardson and his receivers were not on the same page. Richardson struggled with both his accuracy and touch, at one point sailing a pass perhaps two feet over the head of a clearly open receiver on a third-down play. His footwork was weird (technical term), too.
And did we mention all this happened against a Bengals defense that rested all of its starters?
Richardson completed 8 of 14 passes with one touchdown, one interception, and one fumble against guys headed for the bench or waiver wire when the NFL regular season begins.
So what to make of this?
It’s simple. This is what awaits the Colts in 2024 with their young starting quarterback.
As he begins his second professional season, Richardson has thrown all of 84 passes in the league. He played only four games as a rookie because of a concussion and then a season-ending A/C joint in his right (throwing) shoulder.
This year is, for all intents and purposes, Richardson’s first in the NFL. So this is the planting season. The growing season.
But it’s unlikely to be the harvest season.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen could be in for a long season in the AFC South. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
What To Do With Struggles?
Amazon Prime game analyst Kirk Herbstreit asked rhetorically during the broadcast what happens if Richardson struggles all season long?
If?
When.
Indy’s hope for this season must be that Richardson’s inconsistency is balanced out later in the season with improvement. That hope is tied to coach Shane Steichen’s reputation as a builder of quarterbacks.
Steichen has a lot to work with in Richardson. But it’s a considerable project that isn’t going to be completed for a long while.
Anyone knowing Richardson’s history and watching him play against a defense of backups Thursday could see that.
Without a first round selection, when is the Indianapolis Colts’ first pick in the 2026 NFL draft?
Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL draft, what selections do the Indianapolis Colts have this year?
With a record of 8-9, the Colts finished the 2025 season with the 16th-best record. However, they won’t be picking at 16th overall in the first round.
In order to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner from the Jets, the Colts traded away their 2026 and 2027 first-round draft picks to New York.
So the first time that the Colts will be on the clock come April is in Round 2 and with the 47th overall pick, according to Tankathon.
In total, the Colts currently have five draft picks in 2026. Along with trading away their first-rounder, GM Chris Ballard also traded the Colts’ sixth-round draft pick as part of the trade that brought Mekhi Blackmon over from Minnesota.
- Round 2, pick 47
- Round 3, pick 78
- Round 4, pick 113
- Round 5, pick 154
- Round 7, pick 230
Now, the Colts are projected to receive two compensatory picks in the sixth and seventh rounds. This would bring the Colts’ total number of selections up to seven.
According to Over the Cap, those picks will be awarded to the Colts for EJ Speed and Joe Flacco leaving in free agency last offseason.
At this time, however, those compensatory picks have not yet been made official by the NFL.
NFL.com lists quarterback, linebacker, defensive linemen, and offensive tackle as the Colts’ biggest offseason needs.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana General Assembly returned to session Monday, and one bill filed by an Indianapolis Republican aims to address crime in downtown Indianapolis. The bill would allow for the state to step in to address violent crime in the downtown area.
“We have had people from Sweden who were killed that were in the military,” State Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, said. “We’ve had hotels shot up from outside. People killed on the street, especially on the canal. It’s a beautiful place, but people are scared.”
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Indiana lawmaker proposes state takeover of public safety downtown
Young filed Senate Bill 145, which would give the governor authority to provide adequate law enforcement services within downtown starting in 2027. Young said he would first try to negotiate with the mayor, but if no agreement is reached, Indiana State Police would assume all law enforcement services within the district. The district would include the Mile Square, Victory Field, Lucas Oil Stadium, Military Park, American Legion Mall, the U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial and related facilities such as parking lots.
“Now we are not doing this as a state on the taxpayers’ dime. Since the city won’t be paying as much, they have law enforcement duties. We are going to use some of the tax dollars that the state would send to Indianapolis, and we will hold those back for the cost we have. And hopefully it will be even cheaper,” Young said.
The bill would also allow the governor to appoint a special prosecutor for crimes committed downtown, taking that authority from the Marion County prosecutor.
Photo Courtesy: Downtown Indianapolis Inc.
WRTV reached out to several downtown organizations, the city and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
The Downtown Indy Alliance was unavailable for an interview but provided a statement:
“Public safety is critical to the continued success and vibrancy of Downtown, and we believe this work is best accomplished when partners are working collaboratively. Over the last several years, we have seen great strides in increased cooperation and communication, thanks in part to the work of the Marion County Crime Reduction Board, as well as the leadership of state and local law enforcement officers.
The results of such efforts are clear — in December, IMPD reported that violent crime was down nearly 8% and overall crime down more than 9% in the Downtown District. As conversations continue at the Statehouse, our focus remains on supporting collaboration and data-driven strategies that contribute to a safe and welcoming Downtown for residents, workers, and employers.”
The mayor’s office also issued a statement:
“This is not the first time we’ve seen an extreme proposal pointed at Indianapolis. And while the City is always happy to collaborate with the Governor and the State to improve Indianapolis, the notion that the State would take over public safety responsibilities Downtown is a step too far.”
WRTV/ Otis Jones
IMPD said they will follow the legislation closely and continue to operate as usual. Young said the proposal reflects what constituents want.
“They want to be safe when they come to our capital city and downtown,” Young said.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office did not respond before our deadline. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Courts and Criminal Law, where it awaits a hearing.
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Several shops closing in Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis
Small business owners with stores inside Circle Centre Mall said they received lease terminations that they would need to move out by Dec. 31.
As the year came to an end, so did the annual carousel of stores opening and closing around Indianapolis.
Multiple beloved shops, including a giftware store in Fountain Square and a local bookstore near the Devington area, closed at the end of the year due to personal decisions or financial difficulties. Meanwhile, a streetwear shop opened in Castleton Square Mall, and the last tenants in Circle Centre Mall said their farewells before the shopping center closed for a yearslong redevelopment.
Here’s what retail stores opened and closed in December 2025.
Openings
Indianapolis Liberation Center
1619 Prospect St., indyliberationcenter.org, opened Dec. 5
The Indianapolis Liberation Center opened its permanent physical storefront last month to serve as a community space and organizing hub on the near southeast side. Founded in 2021, the Center brings together organizers and community groups to train activists and host events.
“With a physical store that’s a one-stop shop for organizers and activists — including a diverse range of hundreds of books, unique t-shirts, buttons, stickers, posters, and more — this marks a new chapter in achieving our mission of a city and world free of division, exploitation, marginalization, and oppression,” Dani Abdullah, a lead organizer with the Center, said in a press release.
The Center is run solely by volunteers.
Circle City Souvenirs
1 S. Capitol Ave., circlecitysouvenirs.com, opened early December
Longtime souvenir store Circle City Souvenirs closed up shop in the declining Circle Centre Mall, but the Indianapolis spot didn’t go far. Circle City Souvenirs is now open in the PNC Center. Owner Kim White told IndyStar the move was bittersweet, as her store had called the mall home since 2017, but she hopes to expand the business in the new location.
PRVT
6020 E 82nd St., Castleton Square Mall, shopatprvt.com, opened early December
Streetwear clothing store PRVT opened in early December next to the Foot Locker at Castleton Square Mall. Owner Daki Glumac also runs a PRVT location at Hamilton Town Center.
Closings
Tuggle’s Gifts & Goods
1029 Virginia Ave., closed Dec. 28
Tuggle’s Gifts and Goods closed in December after five years open on Fountain Square’s main commercial strip. At the store, Brooke and Ross Tuggle sold Indianapolis-themed gifts, creative works made by Indy artists and a variety of knick-knacks.
The Tuggles closed the business to move their family to Kentucky, per a social media post.
“This decision comes from a place of love and excitement,” the Tuggles wrote in an Instagram post. “We’re choosing to slow down, spend more time together as a family, and begin a new chapter as we move to Lexington, Kentucky.”
Red Dog Books
7115 E 46th St., Facebook, closed Dec. 31
Independent bookstore Red Dog Books closed at the end of the year after low sales, multiple moves and high rent made staying open in its storefront on 46th Street unattainable. Red Dog had just opened in the space earlier in spring 2025.
The nonprofit is preparing for a permanent shutdown, unless Red Dog can find a new space with affordable rent and gain support from the community through donations and purchases, a social media post said.
“This community has shown us time and time again that miracles happen when we stand together,” owners wrote in a Facebook post. “Please don’t just remember Red Dog Books. Help us keep it alive.”
WNS Apparel, Hot Topic, Aeropostale, Freestyle, the Collector’s Den, Indy Jewelers in Circle Centre Mall
49 W. Maryland St., Circle Centre Mall, closed end of December
At the end of December, Circle Centre Mall’s last tenants left, ending a 30-year run for the downtown shopping center.
A handful of stores — including WNS Apparel, Hot Topic, Aeropostale, Freestyle, Indy Jewelers, the Collector’s Den and Circle City Souvenirs — shuttered as a result. Hendricks Commercial Properties closed down the indoor portion of the mall, including the food court, to prepare for construction as the developer begins work on its $600 million redevelopment named Traction Yards.
Traction Yards will include an elevated outdoor retail experience with space for offices, apartments and potentially a boutique hotel. The overhaul is expected to be completed in phases, with the first section opening in 2029 at the earliest.
Know a store opening or closing in your neighborhood? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at amguffey@usatodayco.com.
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