How long is Anthony Richardson out? Injury timeline, return date, latest updates for Colts QB

A promising Rookie of the Year campaign has come to a screeching halt.

Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson hit the shelf once already this season, what turned out to be a single-game absence during which he was dealing with a concussion. Richardson is again going to miss time, but a bit longer of a stretch.

In Week 5, Richardson suffered a shoulder injury against the Titans. While the injury to his throwing shoulder seemed dire in the moment, it didn’t put a death knell on his season. Instead, just a little pause, which may turn out to be a bit of a longer one.

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Here’s what to know about Richardson’s injury, and when you can expect to see him back on the field:

How long is Anthony Richardson out?

On Oct. 11, the Colts officially placed Richardson on injured reserve, sidelining him for a minimum of four games. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Richardson is out at least four weeks and could be up to eight weeks that he’s off the field.

Richardson’s time on the shelf will be determined by whether or not he’ll need surgery, which is an option currently.

In the aftermath of the injury, CBS’ Josina Anderson added that Richardson is currently looking at multiple opinions on his shoulder, with surgery a potential option.

Colts coach Shane Steichen confirmed to reporters Monday that Richardson injured the AC joint in his shoulder but did not speculate about how much time the QB might miss or whether he would need to be placed on injured reserve. 

What is Anthony Richardson’s injury?

Anthony Richardson reportedly suffered a Grade 3 acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprain. The AC joint connects the clavicle (colloquially known as the collarbone) to other mechanisms in the shoulder. 

The severity of the injury is pending an MRI of Richardson’s shoulder, which was scheduled to take place Monday morning.

Some players come back from AC joint sprains, depending on the severity. Derek Carr provides a recent example: He suffered an AC joint sprain earlier in the season, but didn’t miss any time, as it was on the lower end of the severity spectrum.

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What happened to Anthony Richardson?

In the second quarter of the Week 5 Colts-Titans AFC South matchup, Richardson was injured on a designed run to the outside. Titans linebacker Harold Landry III seemed to land directly on top of Richardson on a tackle, driving the quarterback’s shoulder into the ground in an unfortunate hit.

Richardson immediately pointed to his right shoulder and was tended to by Indianapolis medical staff.  Soon after, Richardson made his way to the locker room with his right arm dangling by his side.

Richardson was initially listed as “questionable” to return to the matchup, but he would later be downgraded to “out.”

X-rays on Richardson’s shoulder came back negative, potentially ruling out a broken collarbone, but more testing would have to be done.

Gardner Minshew replaced Richardson in the matchup and will be the Colts’ starter moving forward, beginning with a Week 6 matchup against his former team, the Jaguars.

Anthony Richardson injury timeline

Wednesday, Oct. 11: After a few days of deliberation, the Colts officially place Richardson on IR. There’s no timetable for return from the shoulder injury, and the team should know more as the QB rehabs.

Monday, Oct. 9: Reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicate that Richardson suffered an AC joint sprain (Grade 3) that may keep him sidelined for a month or longer. 

Sunday, Oct. 8: Head coach Shane Steichen doesn’t have any further details on Richardson, but notes that he will get further imaging to determine the severity of the shoulder injury. Early reports say that Richardson avoided anything season-ending.

Sunday, Oct. 8: During a matchup with the Titans, Richardson is injured on a designed run to the outside. He would be taken for X-rays, and after initially being ruled as “questionable,” Richardson was ruled out.