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Groin Injury Sidelines Colts Quarterback Before Chiefs Clash

By Sports Desk · 2026-09-18 · 2 min read
A football resting on green grass
Illustration: Tradingbird

Anthony Richardson Sr. sat out Wednesday practice with a groin complaint, casting a shadow over Indianapolis' road trip to Kansas City.

The practice field at Lucas Oil Stadium fell quiet where the quarterbacks usually gather. Anthony Richardson Sr. stood apart, his body tense against the chill of the September air. A groin injury, sharp and sudden, had pulled him from the drill lines. He did not run the routes. He did not throw the spiral. The absence hung heavy over the team’s preparation, a silent warning before the road trip to Kansas City began.

Indianapolis listed him as a nonparticipant on the official report. The designation is cold, clinical, but the implication is hot. The Colts are entering Week 2 facing the Chiefs, a defense that hunts with precision and speed. Richardson’s status is now the central question in the locker room. Can he withstand the physical toll of a Sunday contest? The coaching staff watches, waiting for the medical team to provide a clearer signal before they commit to a game plan.

Depth chart shifts under pressure

If Richardson remains sidelined, the Colts must lean on their remaining options. This forces a recalibration of the offensive scheme. Passing concepts may simplify. Mobility packages, designed to exploit the quarterback’s legs, could be shelved. Protection calls might tighten, shielding the ball carrier from the rush. Every variable shifts. The offense becomes a puzzle with missing pieces, and the coaching staff must solve it in real time against a veteran defense.

Richardson entered this season competing for a significant role in Indianapolis. Any limitation threatens that trajectory. The coaching staff needs to determine if he can handle the demands of the game. It is not just about throwing the ball; it is about surviving the hit. The physicality of the NFL does not care about potential. It cares about presence, and for now, Richardson is absent.

Chiefs defense awaits the outcome

Kansas City presents a demanding opponent. The Chiefs’ defensive pressure is a known quantity, a relentless force that forces opposing offenses into difficult situations. Their experience allows them to read plays and strike with timing. For a quarterback dealing with a groin injury, this environment is hostile. The margin for error shrinks. A slight hesitation, a stumble, a pain flare-up, and the play collapses. The stakes are high, and the preparation must be exact.

Monitoring the medical updates

Richardson’s status should clarify as the week progresses. The Colts will release additional practice reports, each one a data point in the decision-making process. A return to limited work would be a positive sign, a green light to proceed. Continued absence would deepen the uncertainty. For now, the groin injury places his participation under intense scrutiny. Indianapolis awaits further medical updates before making a final decision.

The situation was detailed in a recent update shared by James Boyd on social media, noting the specific reason for the nonparticipation. As reported by Yahoo Sports, the injury is the primary driver of his absence. The Colts are in a holding pattern, balancing the need for preparation with the need for caution. The ball sits on the grass, untouched, waiting for the quarterback who will eventually pick it up.

Based on reporting by Yahoo Sports, compiled by the Tradingbird desk.

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