Positive Update: Anthony Richardson has been granted permission by the NFL to move on and…
INDIANAPOLIS: Anthony Richardson paused to survey his surroundings the first time he set foot on an NFL field.
Early in August, the rookie quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts estimates he took a half-hour stroll around the field at Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills.
The 21-year-old thought back on the path that had led him to this point as he strolled the deserted stadium by himself.
One of Richardson’s most identifiable traits is his enthusiasm for football.
During his March pro day workout, he concluded the session with a stunning deep ball and a standing backflip celebration.
Since then, the impromptu outbursts have become less stylish, but Richardson still beams, dances, and gives his teammates high fives.
both during and following each session.
His enthusiasm for the game is like that of a child playing on a playground. It is real. It is charming.
And it has its roots in the frequently challenging path that saw Richardson selected fourth overall in the NFL Draft in April and appointed as the team’s new face in Indianapolis.
Richardson stated, “Football has given me clothes when I could not buy any clothes—my mom could not get me any clothes.” “I was eating at practice when I was unable to eat. Since I did not have any food at home, I used to eat snacks in the snack room when I was in high school.
I am grateful for this game and everything that football has given me, so I appreciate it. Additionally I love and value this game because of the connections I have made through it and everything it is given me. Although I think the goal of the game is to have fun on the field, I think my perspective on it differs from other people’s because of how much and what it has given me.
When Richardson was just ten years old, something happened that forever altered his life.
LaShawnda Cleare, his mother, who was only 27 years old at the time, relocated her small family to Gainesville because she was concerned about rising gang activity and violence in their Miami, Florida, neighborhood. Richardson’s younger brother, Corey Carter, was among them.
Too many American families deal with issues similar to the ones they encountered in their new house.
Cleare was employed.Several jobs to supplement her income and volunteer work at all school events to ensure she was giving her boys the best possible care.
Before the draft, she said to NFL.com, “It was hard.” “I had trouble. It was not much. To pay for clothes, food, rent, and bills, I had to work multiple jobs, putting in long hours without getting much sleep.
“I hope I am not judged by anyone. I exerted all of my effort. My goal was for my children to outperform me and lead far better lives. It was not a sacrifice in my opinion.
When Richardson did, it inspired him to grow up and become more mature than his years.
Carter came to see him as a father figure, and he let the child ride on the handlebars of his bike whenever they made the rounds through town.
