Anthony Richardson told reporters Wednesday that he is dealing with back problems that could become “chronic” after being forced to crawl around the house recently.
However, the Colts quarterback didn't seem too worried about that, saying there are “a lot of ways to prevent that” going forward.
Richardson, 22, missed Week 17's game against the Giants in Indianapolis with hip and foot issues and remains a question mark heading into Sunday's season finale against the Jaguars.
Mr Richardson said he was in so much pain last week that he had difficulty standing or walking.
“Last week was tough. On Tuesday I couldn't even stand, I could barely walk, I was crawling around the house,” Richardson said. “But I'm here. I'm standing right now. If I can do my best to get on the field, I will. I thought that way last week too, but I could barely move.”
Richardson was listed as “DNP” on the Colts' injury report Wednesday.
The team did not practice, instead holding a walk-through.
The second-year quarterback missed 16 games in his first two seasons in the NFL due to various issues, including shoulder, oblique and back injuries and concussions.
Regarding the latest problem, Mr Richardson said an MRI scan revealed it was “a disc-shaped thing that had been there for a while” and believed it must have been “triggered in the wrong way”. I explained that there was.
Richardson also indicated that he was dealing with back spasms, which Colts coach Shane Steichen described as an issue after the loss to the Giants.
The signal caller said he has been battling back spasms since he was in the eighth grade and doesn't think he will need surgery to fix the problem.
“While it may be chronic, there are many ways to prevent it from developing in the future,” Richardson said. “Now that I understand what it is, I can step away from certain positions and find certain ways to make sure I'm 100 percent healthy.”
Richardson, the Colts' fourth overall pick in 2023, is 6-5 as a starter for the Colts this season, throwing 1,814 innings with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Indianapolis lost to the Giants and was eliminated from playoff contention.
