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Colts Teammates Rave About Anthony Richardson as Training Camp Begins

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Colts Teammates Rave About Anthony Richardson as Training Camp Begins


As the Indianapolis Colts reported for training camp at Grand Park Sports Complex yesterday, the big question was the health of quarterback Anthony Richardson.

The last time we saw Richardson, he was given a rest day to end the Colts’ mandatory minicamp period. Richardson is coming off shoulder surgery to his throwing arm and had experienced soreness the day before but vowed there was nothing to worry about. Seven weeks later, it seems AR is ready to go for his second training camp.

“I don’t think so,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard declared when asked if Richardson would have any maintenance days in camp. “I’m not expecting any limitations right now.”

Richardson is a full go, meaning the Colts are ready to unleash their full offensive attack. There has been a lot of hype from fans and media alike this offseason about Richardson’s potential in Shane Steichen’s offense. Teammates are also buying into the hype, excited to see what Richardson brings to Year Two.

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It starts with running back Jonathan Taylor, Richardson’s running mate in the backfield. The duo only played two snaps together in 2023, an unfortunate result of two electric offensive weapons dealing with injuries. But 2024 figures to be different, and while Richardson and Taylor still have work to do, the former All-Pro running back is jacked up to see what they can do.

Football player Anthony Richardson runs a drill as practice in a red football jersey.

Colts Quarterback Anthony Richardson runs the gauntlet during Indianapolis Colts minicamp practice Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. / Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar / USA TODAY

“Just to get a feel for each other, learn how one another moves, how they play, how he thinks,” Taylor remarked. “I think it’s going to be really fun. There were very few snaps (together last season), but we are praying for a full 17 weeks full of snaps this year.

“It’s almost like there’s a whole new element now,” Taylor continued. “You’re not just worrying about what I’m doing. It’s like, ‘You better worry about this guy because if not, he’s going to kill you.’”

Building chemistry with Taylor is only one aspect of Richardson’s return to the field. Richardson’s last game was back in early October, over nine months ago. Nine months is a long time to not be in pads.

Richardson will need to get used to the speed of the game again when the pads strap back on. But after countless workouts with his teammates this summer, it should not take long for Richardson to build up the rapport he once had with his weapons.

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“I think for Anthony it’s just getting back into the flow of things because every time that I’ve seen him this offseason, he looks great,” Michael Pittman Jr. admitted. “He’s in good shape, he’s throwing well, he’s all healed up. So, really just further learning and more experience. … Just get him ramped up and ready to play because it’s been a long time since he’s been able to play football.”

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Much of the attention will be about what Richardson does on the field, and rightfully so. But while he was not on the field for most of last season, Richardson grew as a quarterback off the field. Mastering the offense, developing a better understanding of defensive concepts, and growing as a leader are just a few of the things Richardson focused on during his injury.

And his teammates have already noticed the young quarterback putting what he has learned into practice.

“Physically, he looks amazing,” Ryan Kelly stated. “I think he’s taken a lot of growth off the field as well just watching film and doing cut-ups and stuff like that. I’m excited to see him come out here and compete. I know what kind of character and what kind of leadership he’s gotten from Year One to Year Two. So it’ll be exciting to see.”

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It is not just the offensive side of the ball that has taken note of Richardson’s growth either. Leaders of the Colts’ defense are excited to have a quarterback of his caliber on their team. Not only will going up against Richardson in practice make the defense better, and vice versa, but having a talented quarterback who can make winning plays gives the Colts a chance to reach heights this team has not seen in quite some time.

“His ceiling’s through the roof,” DeForest Buckner said about Richardson. “The kid’s got – The Lord blessed him with so many talents. He’s gifted physically, and it’s just the mental part of his game that he’s going to have to continue to build and work on. He’s lucky to have a coach like Shane (Steichen) who’s got a great mind for the game and can help him develop to the quarterback that everybody sees him becoming.”

Football player Anthony Richardson passes the ball for a score in a blue jersey.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) passes the ball for a 2-pt conversion during game action against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Indianapolis. / Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The entire Colts franchise is excited about what is next for Richardson and what he can accomplish leading this team. But ultimately, talk is cheap. What matters is the results that Richardson and this team put on the field.

There will be bumps in the road along the way. It is to be expected out of a 22-year-old quarterback with only four NFL starts under his belt. The key will be learning from those mistakes and overcoming them.

The ability to overcome adversity will determine if Richardson will be successful in the NFL and reach his ceiling as a quarterback. It will take a lot of hard work and dedication to make it happen, but for those who know Richardson, his confidence in accomplishing what he sets out to do is unwavering.

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“There’s a naive confidence that, for a guy that hadn’t played a lot of snaps, just believes that he’s pretty freaking good,” Ballard explained. “And that’s a good thing, that’s not a bad thing. I do believe his poise is pretty rare, especially for a guy that really (only threw) 84 passes. Usually with rookies you see a lot of panic when they’re playing, a lot of frantic play. You didn’t see that with Anthony, and I think that’s a good sign.”

Year Two for Richardson is here, and so is all of the hype surrounding the former No.4 overall pick. Richardson is confident he can lead the Colts to the promised land. His teammates believe he has all the capabilities to make it happen as well.

Time to see if Richardson can usher in a new golden age of Colts football.

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.

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Indianapolis, IN

How to buy Indianapolis Colts tickets? See prices for games on 2024 schedule

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How to buy Indianapolis Colts tickets? See prices for games on 2024 schedule


The Indianapolis Colts were on the cusp of the playoffs last season before coming up just short. Can they make the postseason in 2024 with Anthony Richardson back?

Led by second-year head coach Shane Steichen, the Colts finished third in the AFC South with a 9-8 record in 2023. Indianapolis has not made the playoffs since 2020.

Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was impressive on the field when he was healthy, but the quarterback only played in four games before being shut down for the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery. Running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., are two more keys to the Colts’ dynamic offense.

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The Colts play two preseason games at their home Lucas Oil Stadium, the first on August 11. They start the 2024 regular season on September 8. How much will it cost to see those games live?

See Colts ticket prices for every game this season

Indianapolis Colts tickets, best prices

Ticket prices for the Colts’ first preseason game vs. the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium start here, not including fees:

For the Colts’ regular-season opener vs. the Houston Texans, ticket prices start here, not including fees:

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Prices in the lower bowl are available for as low as $139 on StubHub.

To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub, VividSeats, SeatGeek and Ticketmaster.

Indianapolis Colts 2024 schedule

This is the Indianapolis Colts 2024 schedule, with TV info; all times are ET; ^-preseason.

Date Opponent Time, TV
Sunday, Aug. 11 Denver Broncos^ 1 p.m., FOX59
Saturday, Aug. 17 Arizona Cardinals^ 7 p.m., CBS4
Thursday, Aug. 22 at Cincinnati Bengals^ 8 p.m., Prime Video
Sunday, Sept. 8 Houston Texans 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Sept. 15 at Green Bay Packers 1 p.m., FOX
Sunday, Sept. 22 Chicago Bears 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Sept. 29 Pittsburgh Steelers 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Oct. 6 at Jacksonville Jaguars 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Oct. 13 at Tennessee Titans 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Oct. 20 Miami Dolphins 1 p.m., FOX
Sunday, Oct. 27 at Houston Texans 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Nov. 3 at Minnesota Vikings 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Nov. 10 Buffalo Bills 1 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Nov. 17 at New York Jets 8:20 p.m., NBC
Sunday, Nov. 24 Detroit Lions 1 p.m., FOX
Sunday, Dec. 1 at New England Patriots 1 p.m., CBS
BYE
Sunday, Dec. 15 at Denver Broncos 4:25 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Dec. 22 Tennessee Titans 1 p.m., CBS
TBD at New York Giants TBD
TBD Jacksonville Jaguars TBD

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Indianapolis, IN

Foggy start gives way to quiet Thursday across central Indiana

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Foggy start gives way to quiet Thursday across central Indiana


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Beautiful weather settles in for the end of the week.

This morning:

We are keeping an eye on some patchy areas of dense fog that have developed here in the very early morning hours. We’re especially seeing the dense fog in areas that received a decent amount of rain on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Look for much of this fog to start lifting shortly after daybreak this morning.

Thursday:

Very quiet weather is on tap here for the end of the week. After the morning fog lifts, expect gradual clearing skies heading into the afternoon and lower humidity. Highs will top out into the lower 80s.

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Thursday night:

Clear conditions with dry air will allow for comfortable temperatures overnight. Lows will fall to the upper 50s and lower 60s.

Friday:

A beautiful day on tap for your Friday, with plenty of sunshine and low humidity, should make for a very comfortable afternoon. High temperatures will top out in the lower and middle 80s.

This weekend:

Dry weather will continue, at least for the start of the weekend, but we will start to dial up the temperatures just a bit. Humidity should stay relatively low, at least for Saturday, as highs top out into the mid-80s.

Sunday will be a bit more humid as moisture surges in from the south and west. We will also see scattered to numerous chances for thunderstorms across the area to wrap up the weekend. Highs will top out into the mid- and upper-80s, but it will feel closer to the lower 90s through the day.

7 day forecast:

Oppressive humidity will continue to build as we head into the new week, with dew point temperatures into the 70s early on. We will also see numerous chances for showers and thunderstorms on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Heavy rainfall with localized flooding will be possible, and there is the potential for some severe weather in the first few days of the week as well. Look for high temperatures to top out into the upper 80s and lower 90s for the first half of the new work week.



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MLS commissioner: Indy doing 'everything right' in bid to join league – Indianapolis Business Journal

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MLS commissioner: Indy doing 'everything right' in bid to join league – Indianapolis Business Journal


MLS Commissioner Don Garber speaks to media ahead of the MLS All-Star Game on July 24, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber said Indianapolis is “following the playbook” in its effort to land an expansion club.

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Speaking at a mid-season news conference during MLS All-Star week in Columbus, Garber said that while the addition of San Diego FC in 2025 will “be the end of expansion for a time,” he is paying close attention to the work Indianapolis officials are doing to position the city for a bid to the league and plans to continue engaging with city officials in the coming months.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, who announced his effort to pursue Major League Soccer on April 25, traveled to Columbus to engage with Garber and league and team executives, alongside the the city’s Chief Deputy Mayor Dan Parker on Tuesday and Tom Glick, a longtime soccer executive working with the city to oversee its MLS efforts.

While Hogsett said he hopes to work with a prospective investor group to file a league application from the city by the end of this year, Garber said Wednesday he considers the process to be in its infancy.

“I think they’re doing, so far, everything right,” he said. “They’re following the playbook. Tom’s a very experienced guy … who knows how to build a team and a soccer team. So I think they’re doing everything right. This is a process. It takes time and these are teams that require a whole lot of constituents to come together, from ownership to city leaders to other fans and partners, and we’re very much in the beginning of this process.”

Hogsett and Garber first met April 22, just three days before the mayor publicly announced plans to pursue MLS. The city contingent attended a private reception hosted by Garber on Tuesday night, although Hogsett returned to Indianapolis on Wednesday to greet Vice President Kamala Harris upon her arrival for a sorority convention.

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Garber said while Hogsett, local and state leaders “are very bullish” about joining MLS, he expects the league will rely on a tried and true formula, which has evolved over the past 28 years, to decide what organizations will join its ranks.

“We’ve done this a lot. We’ve expanded by over 20 teams … so we understand how to manage this process,” he said. “We love the city. We love the support from the city leaders and from the state. We think there’s interesting ownership dynamics. We like the location that we’re talking about for the stadium, so we’ll continue to work with them.”

The Hogsett administration in the coming weeks is expected to receive a completed feasibility study and fiscal analysis for the proposed soccer stadium site at the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport from Chicago-based Hunden Partners. Those reports will be submitted to the Indiana Finance Authority, State Budget Committee and State Budget Agency for consideration as part of a request to finalize a new professional sports development area, or PSDA, taxing district.

A source familiar with the situation said several team and league executives also met separately on Wednesday with Glick, amid a day of meetings tied to the MLS Board of Governors at the Hilton Columbus downtown hotel.

Glick helped establish Charlotte FC and was a longtime front office executive for New York City FC, in addition to stints with overseas clubs. He now runs Charlotte-based Rockledge Sports Advisory.

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He, alongside Hogsett and Parker, also hosted several league executives, attorneys and other power players in a suite at Lower.com Field, during Tuesday’s MLS All-Star Skills Challenge. Indianapolis City-County Council president Vop Osili is attending Wednesday’s all-star game in Hogsett’s place, arriving in Columbus on Wednesday evening.

Glick and Parker also independently met with multiple league and MLS team officials throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, sources told IBJ, speaking on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of discussions about Major League Soccer expansion.

Garber said he’s aware of who is involved in a would-be investor group for an Indianapolis club but said he couldn’t provide any details.

Speculation continues to swirl about the involvement of the Herb Simon family, which owns the Indiana Pacers and Fever franchises. However, Danny Lopez, executive vice president of community and external affairs and corporate communications for the Pacers organization, told IBJ the Simons are not in Columbus this week.

Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir, whose Eleven Park soccer stadium project was torpedoed when the city announced its own MLS efforts also did not attend all-star events. Glick and city officials have unsuccessfully approached Ozdemir at least four times about being part of the ownership group, a source said.

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Hogsett has said he expects a local investor group will be revealed “sooner rather than later,” and certainly before the city submits its request to the state government entities for consideration of the PSDA.

Garber noted that despite Indianapolis’ interest, there’s no firm timeline for MLS to expand from its current stable of 30 teams to where many owners have indicated it hopes to be—at 32 overall. But he said if Indianapolis, or any other city, makes a compelling argument to join the league, it would have the ears of league leadership.

“If there’s a good market for us to expand it, if that market makes sense, if we have the right owner, and the right stadium plan, I think, like any league, we would consider strongly expanding beyond 30 teams that we have now,” he said.

League and team sources told IBJ this week it could be a tough path forward for Indianapolis because the league hadn’t planned to consider expansion until after North America hosts the World Cup in 2026, noting that MLS club entry fees could grow anywhere from 25% to 50% higher from their latest price. San Diego paid $500 million for its club, which begins play next year.

Whether or not Indianapolis gets that nod—and regardless of when it comes—it’s clear that the next expansion club will be on the hook an entry fee that’s higher than what San Diego paid just a few years ago.

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“It will be more than $500 million” for that fee, Garber said.

Hogsett said this week that while he didn’t expect any formal commitments from MLS during his trip to Columbus, he continues to be interested in an “accelerated” timeline for Indianapolis’ shot at joining the league.

“All we can focus on is making sure that we’re doing what we need to be doing, to put together as competitive a bid for a club as we can, and that’s what we are doing,” he said.

“We would like that process to be as accelerated as we can reasonably make it, while at the same time being responsible. My job as mayor is to present to them the most compelling argument as to why Indianapolis should be included in decisions that they may ultimately make about awarding a club, and we’re doing that. MLS will take care of the rest once we’ve submitted an application.”

Clark Hunt, owner of Dallas FC and the Kansas City Chiefs, was among those who met with Hogsett in the suite. He said they discussed the stadium site and the city’s overall interest in joining the league.

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“It’s great to see [Indianapolis] political leaders here,” he said. “They’re obviously very focused on it, and they came to make sure everybody in the league knows that their interest is sincere.”

Hunt, who has been involved with the league since 1996, initially as owner of the Columbus Crew, is considered among the most influential owners in the league when it comes to expansion discussions.

Like Garber, Hunt said the league has “no established timeline right now for future expansion” but added he thinks Indianapolis would be a good fit for MLS when that time comes.

“I think it’s likely down the road that we’ll consider expansion again,” he said. “Clearly a city like Indianapolis, which is a proven sports town, would have to be a great candidate.”

Hunt and other owners told IBJ they believe the league could reasonably expand to 32 teams, matching the number now playing in the National Football League.

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Jeff Berding, co-CEO of FC Cincinnati, said he expects the league will eventually pursue that number, but said the World Cup might be an opportune time to do so.

“I’m not going to get out ahead of it,” he said. “Obviously, there’s other leagues in the United States that have more teams than our current 30. So that would say that there’s a model for success.”



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