Anthony Richardson Takes Field For Kneel Down, Immediately Throws Interception

With thirty seconds on the clock and Indianapolis up on the Raiders, Colts’ backup QB Anthony Richardson finally entered the game to perform its last rites. Richardson had been instructed to take the snap, kneel down, and let the clock run out. Which is exactly when everything went haywire. 

“[Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter] was telling me to kneel-down the ball. But I could tell by the glint in his eye he wanted me to drop back and launch a Hail Mary into the end zone. Which I did,” said the 23-year-old former Heisman candidate. “The problem was, all my teammates had stayed at the line of scrimmage.” 

Raiders’ free safety Harrison Jilton intercepted Richardson’s bomb and ran it back for a touchdown. 

“He’s really the only QB in the league who can make a pass like that,” said Cooter. “On the run, too, and with absolutely nothing on the line. In its own way, it’s very impressive.” 

Colts’ starting QB Daniel Jones came quickly to Richardson’s side. “I told him not to worry about it. I did that sort of thing all the time in New York. I did caution him that, if he kept it up, he might someday be the starting quarterback for some no-name franchise like the Indianapolis Colts.” 

Despite the loss, Richardson chose to look at the bright side. “At least I didn’t fumble like last time,” he told reporters in a postgame interview. “You could argue that I threw a complete pass. True, it wasn’t to my intended receiver. I was aiming at the linebacker.” 

After the interview, Richardson attempted to hand the microphone off to a reporter but it, too, landed in the hands of the Raiders’ secondary.