INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are spending this week getting ready for the start of the new football season.
The Colts, the league's third-youngest team, will start rookie Anthony Richardson at quarterback against Jacksonville Sunday.
With renewed energy, the Colts are ready to see what they have to work with, led by the 21-year-old Richardson. He spent eight hours at the complex Tuesday — his day off.
"I'm excited," Richardson said. "Coming in on an off-day, and that's part of the job, putting in the extra work, getting ready for the game because I know other people are putting in extra work. My teammates are putting in extra work because I've seen them in the building as well, so it's just a matter of me doing the same thing and getting ready for Week 1."
Center Ryan Kelly said he thinks Richardson will be ready.
"He's really opening up and done a great job of leading the huddle, leading the team, taking accountability for himself when he messes up. I think that's a big dictator of the maturity of a young man like that," Kelly said.
And while Richardson is expected to make his share of mistakes, the coaching staff is confident he'll figure it out.
"I'm really pleased with where he's at mentally, learning the system," head coach Shane Steichen said. "Obviously there's just going to be things in the games, the first time he's seen it, going against new opponents. I'm sure they're going to throw looks at us that they haven't seen on tape, but just being able to adjust to those."
With the big debut almost here, Richardson is taking a simple approach.
"Don't overthink it," Richardson said. "Football is football. Just trust my training, trust my information, trust my teammates and trust the coaches. Just go out there and play, don't overthink it. Just play football."
Maybe Richardson can make the difference this weekend on one troubling trend: The Colts haven't won a season opener since 2013.