Colts rookie Anthony Richardson made the second preseason appearance of his career on Thursday, and despite some struggles through the air, the No. 4 pick had some rather awe-inspiring moments.
It seems former Indianapolis punter NFL analyst Pat McAfee has been impressed with what he’s seen from the rookie quarterback. During a seemingly random appearance in the Amazon Prime broadcast booth, joining commentators Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit, McAfee boldly declared that Richardson would bring a Lombardi Trophy back to Indianapolis.
McAfee, who didn’t have a headset on, borrowed Herbstreit’s mic in order to share his confident prediction with the viewing audience.
"Anthony Richardson's gonna lead us to a Super Bowl."@PatMcAfeeShow joins the @NFLonPrime booth 😂#INDvsPHI on Prime Video
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/624TrfDUF6 pic.twitter.com/yXYiXowIaq— NFL (@NFL) August 25, 2023
“Anthony Richardson’s gonna lead us to a Super Bowl,” McAfee said of the 21-year-old.
McAfee, who played for the Colts from 2009 to ’16, never won a ring with the franchise, though he featured in the franchise’s Super Bowl XLIV loss against the Saints during his own rookie season. The 36-year-old is optimistic the team will find its way back to that stage at some point during Richardson’s tenure.
Indianapolis selected Richardson with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL draft and named him the team’s starting quarterback in August.
Thursday was his second appearance of the preseason. Richardson completed 6 of 17 pass attempts against the Eagles’ backups, throwing for 78 yards without a touchdown or interception. He also rushed five times for 38 yards, putting some of his two-way capabilities on display.
McAfee is clearly excited about the future of the Colts, making a lofty prediction before Richardson has even taken a snap in a regular-season setting.