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See the full story · 1 sourcesAnthony Richardson 's future in the NFL could come down to his results on a vision test, if recent reports are accurate.
According to ESPN and NFL Media's Ian Rapoport , teams interested in trading for Richardson – or signing him after a potential release by the Colts – have concerns about his eyesight after he suffered a freak injury last year.
The Indianapolis Colts ' quarterback fractured the orbital bone around one of his eyes last year in a "fluke accident" involving an exercise band before a game. The team placed Richardson on injured reserve after the incident, and he missed the remainder of the season because of the injury.
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From Inside Training Camp Live: Attempting to make sense of the future of #Colts QB Anthony Richardson... pic.twitter.com/kBMpF5fkji
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2026
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Richardson's time with the Colts appears to be dwindling, according to Rapoport. His NFL future is also up in the air due to the uncertainty about his eyesight, the NFL insider said on Aug. 9.
"If he is going to be traded, or if he is going to be on another team after the Colts eventually cut him, the real question is how well can he see?" Rapoport said. "Can [he] feel and see the rushers on either side? Can [he] see the receivers downfield? Where is his eyesight, and how healthy is he? These are some real questions that the Colts are going to have to answer and Anthony Richardson is going to have to answer when he eventually gets a new team."
What Colts, Richardson have said about QB's eyesight
Asked for clarity regarding Richardson's vision, the Colts directed USA TODAY Sports to the most recent comments from general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Shane Steichen and Richardson himself.
Ballard's last comments on Richardson's vision were in late April, when he told reporters that the quarterback was "in a good spot." Similarly, Steichen said in May before voluntary team workouts began that Richardson had been cleared to play and that "he's been good" in the limited time he had been throwing at the team facility earlier this offseason.
Last December, Richardson alluded to his eyesight being an issue as he had some problems taking snaps while he was getting back on the practice field at the time.
On Aug. 9, he was asked if his struggles in training camp were also related to vision problems. The 24-year-old demurred, saying instead that his issues taking snaps have more to do with how he and the team's backup offensive linemen have been rotating with the Colts' second- and third-team offenses.
"No, I feel like [my vision]'s been good," Richardson said. "Switching out reps with the twos and the threes, you get different centers out there because they're trying to figure out who's going to be the backup behind (Colts starting center Tanor Bortolini).
"So just getting different landmarks with the snaps with different guys, and just focusing on the ball when the ball is snapped to me, and just making sure I secure the catch before I try to process anything downfield."
Richardson's representation did not respond to USA TODAY Sports' request for comment.
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Anthony Richardson trade request update
In February, Richardson got the approval from the Colts' front office to seek a trade. The former first-round pick lost his starting job to veteran Daniel Jones in the preseason last year, and he missed more than half of the 2025 season with his eye injury. A change of scenery appeared to be the clearest path forward for Richardson to continue his NFL career.
Six months later, no trade has materialized. Colts general manager Chris Ballard said near the start of training camp that his intention was to keep Richardson on the roster alongside Jones and 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard. And when Richardson was asked about his trade request on Aug. 9, he didn't provide any indication that he'd be leaving Indianapolis imminently.
"I haven't really even talked to my agent about that recently," Richardson said . "I haven’t talked to Ballard or anybody about that recently. I’m not necessarily sure what's going on with that, but I'm just here right now trying to make sure I can ... be the best version of myself I can be."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Richardson's future could be impacted by vision concerns: Report
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