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Why is Anthony Richardson not playing? Injury update as Daniel Jones exits, Riley Leonard takes over vs Jaguars
Anthony Richardson, the Colts' starting quarterback earlier this season, remains on injured reserve.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones exited Sunday’s Week 14 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars after suffering a potentially serious right-leg injury in the second quarter. Backup quarterback Riley Leonard took over in his place.
Why isn't Anthony Richardson playing?
Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ starting quarterback earlier this season, remains on injured reserve. He sustained a broken orbital bone in a freak pregame accident during warmups before the Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals in late October. A resistance band pole snapped and struck him near his eye, requiring surgery to repair the fracture. The injury temporarily affected his vision.
As of early December, head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Richardson has not been medically cleared to return. The Colts hope for a late-season return in a backup role, but no official timeline has been set.
"Any time you're dealing with an eye, you want to make sure he's got full vision in that eye," Steichen said. "He's resting it right now, and once he's cleared to go, I'll let you guys know."
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What happened to Daniel Jones?
Daniel Jones left the Week 14 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter after injuring his lower right leg while planting his foot to make a throw. He stumbled, fell to the field, and signaled to the sidelines before sitting down, clutching his leg. Play was stopped as trainers rushed to his aid. Jones eventually exited the game with assistance from trainers and was taken to the medical tent for further evaluation.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Jones may have suffered an Achilles injury. If confirmed, recovery from an Achilles injury typically requires several months of rehabilitation before a full return to play.
This latest setback comes on top of a left fibula fracture Jones has been managing since early November.
