Anthony Richardson injury update: Colts QB leaves preseason game after big hit, Daniel Jones enters

Anthony Richardson left the Indianapolis Colts’ preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens with an apparent arm injury after taking a hard hit on a sack by David Ojabo. Daniel Jones then took over for the remainder of the drive.

Richardson dropped back on second down with 7:34 to go in the first quarter when Ojabo went untouched on his way toward the pocket. The Ravens pass-rusher laid a huge hit on Richardson, who immediately headed toward the sideline favoring his arm.

Richardson and Jones are currently battling for the Colts’ starting quarterback job. The expectation was both would play in Thursday’s game, but the former Florida star will not return due to his injury, according to the NFL Network broadcast. Richardson injured his finger on the play.

This is the play where Anthony Richardson was injured — sacked by David Ojabo, who came in untouched. It appears to be an arm injury for Richardson.pic.twitter.com/v0JbEMWDL6 https://t.co/FEmDEMuEE7

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 7, 2025

When the Colts released their initial depth chart this week ahead of the preseason opener, they listed Jones OR Richardson as QB1. The battle continues to determine who the Week 1 starter will be, and the depth chart reflects an update from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler last week about where things stand.

“Colts head coach Shane Steichen told me that the battle between Jones and Richardson is neck and neck,” Fowler said on Get Up. “He’s not going to call it for a while. He’s got a joint practice coming up, he’s got two preseason games, so he’s going to let this play out. But you saw Richardson earlier. He is a player who has been humbled. He told me, ‘Look, I had to pick up the slack last year. I didn’t, and that’s essentially why I got benched.’ 

“So he tweaked some things this offseason, tweaked some mechanics with his base so he can stop sailing throws. The Colts know that the immense potential ability is there. They need to see more from a leadership standpoint, but they have seen it early on. Shane Steichen told me that, yes, he absolutely can be that, he just has to keep doing it every day.”

Anthony Richardson had a rocky sophomore season in the NFL last year as he began the year as the starter, but was briefly benched. He appeared in 11 games, throwing for 1,814 yards and eight touchdowns to 12 interceptions while rushing for 499 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

During the offseason, however, the Colts wanted to bring in competition. That’s why they signed Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract.