Colts' Richardson rejects injury-prone label: 'People are going to talk'

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is dismissing the notion that he's injury-prone.

"I mean, it's football," Richardson said Wednesday. "I'm pretty sure if they got out of the house and came out here and got hit by somebody that's running 20-plus miles per hour every week, I'm pretty sure they’d be sore dealing with injuries as well."

Richardson left Indy's Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers with oblique and abdominal strains. He only played four games last campaign due to a concussion and a shoulder ailment, which required season-ending surgery.

"People are going to talk. That's what people do," Richardson added. "I'm not necessarily worried about it, I'm just focused on getting better day by day."

Richardson completed three of four pass attempts for 71 yards, adding 24 rushing yards, before exiting Sunday's game. He's now left four of his eight starts due to injuries over his first two seasons.

"There's always those things out there: injury-prone. Guys get hurt," head coach Shane Steichen told reporters, per the Indianapolis Star's Joel A. Erickson. "It's football. Guys go out and play, injuries happen sometimes. You don't want them to happen. Obviously, it happened. Obviously, it wasn't a huge, huge injury."

Richardson was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice as he continues to deal with soreness. The 2023 fourth overall pick remains optimistic he'll be available when the team travels to his home state of Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Colts haven't won in Jacksonville since 2014.