Measuring in at 6040, 232 pounds, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is one big, strong problem under center in today’s NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers second-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig called Richardson a unicorn on Wednesday, and rookie linebacker Payton Wilson echoed those comments, calling him a significant challenge entering the Week 4 matchup.
For Steelers star defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward, Richardson presents a challenge similar to a player the NFL had a real issue dealing with for many years.
That would be former NFL MVP Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers.
“Anthony Richardson, great talent in this league. A first-round draft pick for the Colts, he’s got some Cam Newton where he is a bigger guy, but he is athletic,” Heyward said Thursday during the latest episode of his “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “He can throw the ball a mile or two. So, we gotta be ready to stop all fronts.”
The comparison to Newton is an apt one. Newton checked in at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and was a dynamic dual-threat quarterback, not only in college at Auburn where he won a Heisman Trophy, but in the NFL, too. He was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 and then won the MVP in 2015, leading the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance that season.
He combined his big, strong arm with a dynamic rushing ability, which made him a nightmare for defenses. But even with that big, strong arm, he struggled with accuracy issues, something that is currently plaguing Richardson.
Newton completed 59% of his career passes. This season, Richardson is completing just 49%, which is an ugly number overall. But he sure can rip throws into tight windows, throw from jaw-dropping angles and throw the ball 70 yards in the air to hit deep shots.
On top of that, he’s a dynamic runner who brings power and speed to the table. Here at Steelers Depot ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, Richardson was compared to Josh Allen, due to similar builds and struggles throwing the football consistently. Of course, Allen has figured it all out, and that goes to show just how dangerous Richardson is, and the type of elite-level traits he brings to the table.
He’s still figuring it out at the NFL level, but he’ll present a significant challenge Sunday in Indianapolis and has Heyward seeing similarities to a former NFL MVP. That’s big-time.
Check out the latest episode of the “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast below.
