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Indianapolis Star
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Anthony Richardson's latest injury shows why Colts brought in Daniel Jones
INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts knew they had to prepare for something like this. Even though the team had no way of knowing Anthony Richardson's surgically repaired right shoulder would suddenly develop into a problem again this summer. But one of the lessons of Richardson's first two NFL seasons is that the possibility of injury cannot be ignored, and while everybody outside the building has spent most of their time debating the merits of an open competition based on the inconsistencies of Richardson's development, the reality is Richardson's injury history played a central, inescapable role in the team's decision to sign Daniel Jones. Indianapolis hasn't been trying to hide its motivation. 'The No. 1 thing we have to figure out, and what Anthony's got to work through, is staying healthy,' GM Chris Ballard said in January. 'He's got to be able to stay healthy. And that to me, is probably the biggest question right now, because now we're going on two seasons in a row where he's dealt with injuries.' Predicting a player's ability to stay healthy might be an NFL general manager's toughest task. For every player who can't shake the injury bug, there's an exception to the rule. Drew Brees couldn't get Miami's team doctors to clear his surgically repaired right shoulder after a devastating injury in San Diego; Brees signed with the Saints instead and didn't miss a game due to injury for the next nine seasons. Matthew Stafford played in just 13 of a possible 32 games in his first two seasons with Detroit, undergoing the same surgery to repair his AC joint that Richardson went through as a rookie, then played every game for the next eight seasons. The Colts could hope for a story like Brees or Stafford. Indianapolis had to prepare for the possibility that Richardson's injury issues would continue. 'We've got to have competition at the position, just for one, for the fact that competition makes everybody better,' Ballard said in January. 'And then two, he's not proven he can play 17 games.' The actual numbers are worse. Richardson has missed 17 of a possible 34 games in his first two seasons due to injury. Drafted with the No. 4 pick in 2023 to develop into the franchise quarterback the Colts desperately need, Richardson missed a game with a concussion as a rookie, suffered a sprained AC joint that cost him the rest of his rookie season, got knocked to the sideline for two more games by a Pittsburgh hit in October of 2024 and then missed the final two games of the season due to back spasms that stemmed from a disc issue discovered on an MRI. A midseason benching in 2024 somewhat complicates the numbers. But Richardson has never started more than five games in a row in the NFL. When Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen kept saying the team needed consistency at the position this offseason, most people thought about Richardson's accuracy issues. Consistency is also about having the same quarterback in the huddle for more than five games at a time. For all of the justifiable criticism about the Colts' decision to hand a raw prospect like Richardson the starting job right away, the injuries have arguably limited the young quarterback's development more than any other factor, and it goes beyond Richardson losing an entire offseason to rehabilitation after his rookie season. An NFL coaching staff typically needs half a season to learn a new quarterback, find what he does best and tailor the offense to his skill set. When Steichen was Philadelphia's offensive coordinator, the Eagles treaded water for the first half of the 2021 season, then made drastic, sweeping changes to the offense and set Jalen Hurts on a path to a Super Bowl. Philadelphia is far from the only team to go through that cycle. Green Bay's Jordan Love didn't hit his stride until midway through his first season as a starter. Houston's C.J. Stroud had to go through a rough October stretch as a rookie. Before Richardson arrived in Indianapolis, the post-Andrew Luck Colts often started slow with a new quarterback at the helm each year, then found a rhythm once the staff had time to learn the quarterback's tendencies and tailor the offense to his skill set. Injuries haven't given Steichen and the rest of the Colts offensive staff a chance to learn Richardson the same way. A surprising start to his rookie season was cut short by the sprained AC joint he suffered in 2023. Indianapolis spent too much time hunting the big play after Richardson's eye-popping highlights in the opener against Houston, but he was also knocked out of the Pittsburgh game just three weeks later, throwing the offensive picture into chaos for the rest of the season. The Colts headed into the offseason looking for something they could count on at quarterback. Anthony Richardson injury: Colts QB Anthony Richardson to miss mandatory minicamp due to injury to throwing shoulder ''I think it's the most consistent guy,' Steichen said at the beginning of the quarterback competition in April. 'At the end of the day, you've got to be able to move the football consistently up and down the field, and (be) making good decisions, you know what I mean? … You can have splash plays, but if you're doing that sparingly and up and down – I think it's got to be on a consistent basis, to get to where we want to go.' Availability is a key component of consistency, and it is still too early to know how Richardson's latest setback will affect him moving forward. The Colts have set no timetable for Richardson's return, although Steichen believes the quarterback will be back at some point in training camp. The possibility remains that this week's shoulder injury ends up being the final hurdle before Richardson puts his injury issues behind him. But Indianapolis can't bet on that happening.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Drew Brees' sixth touchdown in a single game is the Saints Play of Day 96
Drew Brees' sixth touchdown in a single game is the Saints Play of Day 96 TD No. 6 from QB No. 9 is our pick for Saints Play of the Day There are 96 days to go until the New Orleans Saints start their 2025 regular season, which means we're highlighting Drew Brees (who wore No. 9, of course) and touchdown pass No. 6 against the Detroit Lions back in 2009, which you can see here. The game was surprisingly competitive. Coming off a winless 2008 campaign, the Lions put up a great fight and were battling the Saints hard deep into the second half. Then Brees and the New Orleans offense showed why they were ready to go win a Super Bowl by putting the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. Brees threw six touchdown passes on the day. While his sixth wasn't the most impressive throw of his career, it exemplified everything he and the Saints offense did well that season. Brees dropped back, buying time on a delayed screen to fullback Heath Evans. His timing was perfect and Evans caught the pass to turn uphill with many blockers in front of him. No team ran the screen better than the Saints did in 2009. Center Jonathan Goodwin and right guard Jahri Eavns were the first on the scene, bulldozing a couple of Lions defenders out of the way so Evans could work his way to the sideline -- putting just enough of an angle on the defense to where he could tiptoe into the end zone for a score. That put the tally at 44-27, and a John Carney field goal pushed it one point further. The Saints won their season opener, put the NFL on notice, and started a journey that ended with Brees hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN analyst, former Falcons cornerback catches heat for awful Drew Brees take
ESPN analyst, former Falcons cornerback catches heat for awful Drew Brees take ESPN personality Domonique Foxworth was a guest on the Mina Kimes show, and the podcast started with a conversation around Shedeur Sanders' draft stock. Naturally, the New Orleans Saints were a topic of conversation. The Saints don't seem to be interested and neither Foxworth or Kimes seems to believe they should be. Foxworth simply doesn't believe Sanders is "a guy." He follows that up by saying "the Saints fans are comfortable. They won a Super Bowl with a guy who threw within five yards of the line of scrimmage, so maybe New Orleans is the perfect place for a Shedeur." Drew Brees may have had low air yards at the end of his career, but to place his entire career under that stigma is revisionist history. The Saints didn't win a Super Bowl with a quarterback who threw within five yards of the line of scrimmage. They won a Super Bowl with a quarterback with the second highest air yards in the league that year. In 2009, Brees averaged 8.9 air yards per attempt. The only person who had a higher number was Philip Rivers. It's not as if this was an anomaly either. Brees averaged 9 air yards per attempt nearly a decade later in 2018. Adding to the layer of disappointment, Foxworth played in the league during the earlier part of Brees' career. This take may have been acceptable from someone who started watching football in 2019, but Foxworth played Brees multiple times and even shared the division with him at multiple points. The statement wasn't hyperbolic. It was disrespectful and a poor summation of Brees career. In trying to express why Sanders wasn't "a guy," Foxworth threw in one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and a future first ballot hall of famer as a reference point. The comparison was poor, and the point was false.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
WATCH: Drew Brees shares passionate speech after former teammate Terron Armstead retires
WATCH: Drew Brees shares passionate speech after former teammate Terron Armstead retires Shout out to Terron Armstead. The five-time Pro Bowl left tackle called it a career and announced his retirement on Saturday, surrounded by his New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins teammates. And one of the first people to be handed a microphone to share their comments on the occasion was his legendary quarterback Drew Brees. Brees addressed the crowd and reflected on Armstead's impact on the teams they led together for several minutes. Part of his speech congratulating Armstead on a 12-year career was shared on social media by Nick Underhill. "Twelve amazing years in the NFL. The mainstay wherever he went," Brees began. "I will never forget the day he showed up in our locker room back in 2013, he didn't start off that year as the starter, but it became evident very clearly that this guy was not only going to be a starting left tackle for us for a very long time, but he was going to be a leader in our locker room, he was going to be a leader in the huddle, and he was going to be a leader throughout the league. He's exemplified what it takes to be a champion in this league and in in the locker room and with his teams for a long time." Armstead's teammates elected him as a captain with the Saints every year from 2018 to 2021; when he left to join the Dolphins in 2022, he continued to wear the captain's patch for the final three years of his career. That says a lot about the respect he's earned around the league for two different locker rooms to rally around him. His leadership by example and perseverance to continue playing through multiple career-threatening injuries stood out, and Brees said Armstead's presence helped guys like him be their best. He had a lot to say about how Armstead became a rallying point when the going got tough. "This is how I define (leadership). Leaders make those around them better. They bring out the best qualities, the best traits. They instill confidence. They make you feel that you can do something that maybe you didn't think you could do. Those are the best leaders. They also inspire you every time you wake up. When you walk into that locker room, body's hurting, you're not sure if you're going to be able to make it out to practice, you don't know if you're going to make it to Sunday. But then you think about the guys that have invested so much, that have sacrificed so much, that have laid it on the line day after day? You think to yourself, 'Damn, I am not gonna miss it. I'm going to do whatever I have to do to get out there. Because I want to win, not only do I want to win, I want to win a championship and I want to win it for somebody like that,'" Brees said, pointing to Armstead. "And that's the feeling I got every day to step into the New Orleans Saints locker room." Armstead was a critical piece of the Saints' success from the day he entered the starting lineup to the last snap he logged with New Orleans. He started 93 of the 97 regular season games he appeared in and continued to take point in the postseason, starting all 9 of his Saints playoff games. He continued to lead the way for the Dolphins, starting in 38 regular season games with a pair of playoff appearances. And now his job on Sundays gets easier. He's expected to quickly take up a career in broadcasting or radio commentary and share his knowledge of the game with others. If his first life in football is any indication, he's well-prepared for what comes next.
USA Today
22-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Drew Brees isn't surprised Rams are moving on from Cooper Kupp
Drew Brees knows what it's like to be dumped by the team that drafted you, which is something Cooper Kupp will most likely experience this offseason. The Los Angeles Rams have informed Kupp that they intend to trade him, effectively moving on from the wide receiver after eight seasons. Kupp's announcement shocked a lot of people when he shared the news on social media but Brees isn't surprised by the Rams' decision. Having played 20 years in the NFL, he's seen it all, so not much surprises him anymore. He thinks a fresh start could be good for both parties and gets why the Rams are moving on from the former All-Pro receiver. 'I don't think anything surprises me anymore,' Brees told DJ Siddiqi of The Sports Daily. 'Everybody has their reasons, and at times, when it comes to guys being in a place for a long period of time, it's just time for something different. I think that goes for both sides. Who knows what the conversations were behind closed doors. Cooper Kupp has been a phenomenal player for a really long time and been a huge contributor to the Ram. At the same time at some point that has to end, and regardless of whose decision it is or if it's mutual, teams and players come together and it's like, 'Hey, it's time for a fresh start elsewhere. It's time for us to move on.'' A big reason for this impending split is Kupp's contract. He has a cap hit of $29.78 million in 2025 and $27.33 million in 2026, so he's taking up a significant portion of the Rams' cap. Not to mention, he's also played just 33 games in the last three seasons, missing time each year due to injuries. Brees thinks the Rams probably see an aging and oft-injured player who's become quite expensive and feel they can find a replacement for significantly less money in the draft. 'The Rams I think have proven that they can draft well and they can identify diamonds in the rough.' Brees said. 'Cooper Kupp was not a highly recruited guy. Puka Nacua was not — he was a mid-round guy. Kyren Williams, mid-round guy. All of a sudden you've drafted all these Pro Bowl, All-Pro guys in the mid-round. In their mind, they're thinking, 'Man, we'll go out and find some other guys that we can grow, we can develop, put with Matthew Stafford, put in this offense, and we'll make them great players.' 'I'm sure that's the way they look at it.'
