Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered an orbital fracture in a freak pregame accident before Sunday’s Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Richardson sustained the injury and was hospitalized after a stretching band snapped, sending an attached pole forcibly against his face. His vision was temporarily impaired, but there’s believed to be no permanent damage to his eye.
The Colts placed Richardson on injured reserve Monday, meaning he’ll be unavailable for at least the next four games.
Richardson, the team’s 2023 No. 4 overall draft pick, was the primary backup behind starting QB Daniel Jones. Indianapolis has just one other quarterback on its roster: sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard.
In response to this IR move for Richardson, the Colts are signing veteran quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad.
“The Colts plan to sign veteran quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad, per sources. Rypien, last with Cincinnati, provides depth for Indy’s QB room with Anthony Richardson to IR,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Tuesday.
Rypien has made several stops as an NFL journeyman, most recently with the Cincinnati Bengals. The 29-year-old signal-caller has made four career starts, completing 58.3% of his pass attempts for 950 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions, and amassing a 2-2 record as a starter.
The Colts are in the midst of a stellar 2025 campaign, tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the best record in the league.
Jones has been excellent in his first season with Indianapolis, completing 71.7% of his pass attempts for 1,502 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in his team’s 5-1 start. The former New York Giants QB also has four rushing touchdowns.
Jones and the Colts will travel to Los Angeles for a matchup against Justin Herbert and the Chargers in Week 7.
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