Having a quarterback that is well regarded and was selected early in the first round usually means having a great season and a chance to play in a prominent bowl game. Even though Anthony Richardson, a future fourth-overall pick, was the quarterback for the Florida football team in 2022, this wasn’t the case. The team battled against formidable opponents like Georgia, Kentucky, and LSU, ultimately finishing with a 6-7 record (3-5 in SEC play).
Richardson played for three seasons in Gainsville, but throughout his collegiate career, the dual-threat quarterback was never able to produce impressive passing stats. Richardson asserts in a podcast that has surfaced again and was shared by NFL Digest on Twitter that injuries and bad program management turned him off to the point where he would not play football for Florida in 2024, draft status notwithstanding.
Anthony Richardson: Calls Out Florida Football
The biggest thing that overshadowed quarterback Anthony Richardson’s tenure with the Florida football program was the team’s poor performance. Richardson split time with fellow quarterback Emory Jones in 2021 following an 8–4 season as a backup, then in 2022 he assumed the full-time starting role. Florida, which went 12-14 in the two seasons Richardson got a lot of playing time, was unable to duplicate the previous year’s success. Richardson criticizes the Gators for handling the quarterback position poorly during his brief three-year tenure in a video that went viral on Tuesday.
“I began yanking my hamstrings. I have never before pulled my hammies. “Bro, what’s going on?” is how I feel. They fiddled around, making me start the game against Georgia. The best defense in the nation, nationwide statistics-wise. suffered a concussion and left that game early. After that, I injured my knee and needed surgery at the end of the season.
We therefore had a new coaching staff during my third year. “Let’s see how this spring goes, but if it ain’t it, I’m out of here,” I told Florida. They understood that I was coming off knee surgery and would need to learn a new offense, so they said, “Alright, we understand.” Maybe I won’t be able to run as well. I persisted in it. At last, I knew at the end of that year that I would not be returning to Florida. I was never going to be there again, whether or not I made a declaration.
Due to hamstring issues, Richardson only had a supporting role in 2022. However, he replaced starting quarterback Emory Jones in a mid-October road loss to top-ranked LSU. The next week, Richardson got the start against Georgia, the No. 1 team, and went 12-of-20 for 82 yards and two touchdowns before sustaining a concussion that ended the game. Richardson didn’t play again until the team’s final regular-season game, which ultimately resulted in a knee injury that ended the season.
After suffering several injuries and being placed in unfavorable positions, Richardson started to look at the transfer portal toward the end of the 2021 campaign. But coming into the 2023 season, the Florida football program fired head coach Dan Mullen and hired former Louisiana star Billy Napier in his place. Richardson, a six-foot-four signal-caller, says he was prepared to leave the Gators after the 2023 season, regardless of draft position, even though he ended up staying for one more season.
Anthony Richardson: Time With Florida Football
Richardson, a four-star prospect in the 2020 class, chose the Florida football team over USF, Penn State, Michigan, UCF, and others. Richardson shared playing time with Emory Jones, the incumbent starter, in 2021 despite making just two pass attempts in his true freshman season. The native of Florida had a lot of trouble passing, finishing 59% of his passes incomplete while threw for six touchdowns against five interceptions. On the ground, though, Richardson added 401 yards and three touchdowns at a rate of 7.9 yards per carry.
In 12 games, Richardson threw for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, positioning himself as the undisputed starter in 2022. In addition, he gained 9 touchdowns and 654 yards through rushes. In games against elite opponents, Richardson put in a lot of effort, totaling six passing touchdowns and six interceptions in the following games: Utah, Kentucky, FSU, Tennessee, and Florida State. Anthony Richardson, a football player from Florida, was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts with the fourth overall pick in the following NFL draft. However, his rookie season was cut short due to surgery on his shoulder.
