Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson told reporters on Wednesday that the back injury which kept him out of Week 17’s 45-33 loss to the New York Giants was more serious than head coach Shane Steichen initially disclosed. It may even be a condition the QB has to deal with throughout his career.
Richardson did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, which the Colts said was more of a walk-through in their injury report. After practice, he explained just how much discomfort he was experiencing last week.
“Last week was tough and I couldn’t even stand up on Tuesday, could barely even walk, crawling around the house,” Richardson said. “But I’m here, I’m standing now. If I can do anything in my power to get on the field, I’m going to do so.”
#Colts QB Anthony Richardson said he “couldn’t even stand up” last week due to severe back spasms.
He said he’s had back issues since eighth grade and got an MRI that revealed a “disc thing.”
He said his back issues “might be chronic,” but he doesn’t think he’ll need surgery. pic.twitter.com/Wf6zN6x4ux
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 1, 2025
Going into last week’s game, Steichen said Richardson was dealing with back soreness. However, he admitted afterward that the second-year QB was having back spasms and said his philosophy has always been not to reveal too much about injuries, schemes and personnel moves.
But as anyone who’s experienced back spasms will confirm, they are far more painful and debilitating than “soreness.” Richardson’s description of his condition supported that, dispelling any notion that perhaps he didn’t want to play while hurt.
Of greater concern could be Richardson adding that his condition is “a disc thing” that was revealed by an MRI exam. It could be a chronic issue for the rest of his career. Yet, if it’s treated correctly, surgery won’t be necessary.
“It’s a disc thing that’s been there for a while,” Richardson said. “I guess it got triggered the wrong way last week and did what it did.”
“It might be chronic, but there’s plenty of ways to prevent it going on in the future,” he continued. “Now that I know what it is, I can find certain ways to stay out of certain positions and just make sure I’m healthy, 100 percent.”
Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, said he’s dealt with back issues since he was a teenager, but always believed the problem was muscular, the result of frequently lifting weights and running. But what he felt last week was worse than anything he’d encountered before.
Whether Richardson plays in the Colts’ Week 18 finale is yet to be determined. The team has already been eliminated from playoff contention. He’s expected to participate in practice on Thursday.
If Richardson doesn’t play on Sunday, his season ends with 1,814 yards passing with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He missed three games (possibly four) due to hip and back injuries, and was benched for two games after poor performances.
