Colts QB Anthony Richardson undergoes season-ending shoulder surgery

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson will rehabilitate from seasonending shoulder surgery in Indianapolis, Colts coach Shane Steichen said Wednesday.

Team owner Jim Irsay used his social media account to announce Richardson had undergone a long, successful procedure in Los Angeles. Steichen said Richardson will remain on the West Coast for "a little bit."

"Just to confirm, Anthony's surgery went well yesterday," Steichen said. "I had a chance to talk with him last night. He's in good spirits, doing well, looking forward to getting him back in the building, getting him rehab, getting him ready to go this offseason and next season."

Irsay wrote doctors found what they expected — and no additional damage. He also said Richardson was doing well and that there was not yet a scheduled return date to Indy, where the former Florida star now lives.

"No new surprises were found during surgery — they just repaired what was expected. Anthony is doing well and thanks everyone for the support," Irsay wrote.

The Colts drafted Richardson out of Florida with the fourth overall pick.

He made four promising starts but only finished one game because of a variety of injuries. A bruised knee and sore ankle forced him to sit out the final minute of Indy's season opener, and he was knocked out of a Week 2 win at Houston when he entered the concussion protocol.

He didn't play in Week 3 and then went to the ground awkwardly in Week 6, resulting in a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

Initially, the Colts (3-4) put Richardson on injured reserve. The team and Richardson agreed last week that surgery was the best option.

Gardner Minshew has replaced Richardson as the starter. He's appeared in all three of the Colts' wins, including a start in the Week 3 win at Baltimore. But since Richardson went down, Minshew has thrown four interceptions, lost four fumbles and been sacked seven times in two straight losses.

The latest loss — to Cleveland last Sunday — included backto-back questionable calls against cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. with the first erasing what would likely have been a gamesealing turnover and the second moving the ball to the 1-yard line.

"The NFL admits and understands that they did not make the correct calls at end of Sunday's Colts/ Browns Game," Irsay also wrote. "I believe we need to institute Instant Replay for all calls, including Penalties, in the last two minutes of All Games."

Steichen declined to comment on Irsay's remarks, but inside the locker room, players blamed themselves for the loss.

"I think we could have won that game, and that's on us," Minshew said. "There's plays out there we that could have been made. We didn't make them. It's always convenient to look for excuses. But I think we've got to look at ourselves and figure out what we can do to fix it."