National Football League

Michael Vick: Colts' Anthony Richardson can be Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, Cam Newton

Updated Oct. 12, 2023 6:27 p.m. ET

Anthony Richardson's health has already become a concern for the Colts.

The No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft, Richardson will miss at least the next four games for Indianapolis (3-2) on injured reserve, after suffering an AC joint injury Sunday against the Titans. The earliest he can return is Week 10, when the Colts face the Patriots on Nov. 12 in Germany.

Due to injuries, Richardson has failed to finish three of his first four career starts. He missed another game entirely.

He hurt his knee in Week 1 against the Jaguars, forcing him to miss the Colts' final three offensive snaps, though he was able to return for Week 2 vs. the Texans. But in that game, he suffered a concussion early in the first half (he self-reported symptoms) and missed the rest of the contest as well as the ensuing one against Baltimore. Then there was Sunday's game against Tennessee, when he suffered a shoulder injury on a routine tackle by Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry III.

Richardson's health issues to start his career have raised concerns about his ability to protect himself and about his durability, that despite his being an athletic, physical specimen at the quarterback position (he's listed at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds).

But Michael Vick, the legendary dual-threat quarterback who played 13 NFL seasons, believes league observers must be patient with the 21-year-old rookie.

"We've got to give Anthony the benefit of the doubt," said Vick, a FOX NFL Studio Analyst.

In a phone interview, Vick — one of the most dynamic players ever and the first quarterback in league history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season — discussed what he has seen from Richardson, how he believes he should move forward and the advice he'd share with him.

Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

There's a belief among many that Anthony Richardson needs to do a better job protecting himself. When you watch him play, what do you see?

Vick: "I see a young man with a great amount of talent. And we've got to give Anthony the benefit of the doubt. He's only a rookie. He only started, what, [four] games. … He has to get adjusted to the speed of the game, the complexity of the game. … There's a lot of things that he has to get familiar with before we can fully start expecting him to be able to protect himself at all times. So right now, he's young and he's raw and just trying to do anything necessary to keep the chains moving. And you got to respect it."

Do you think there are things the Colts can do from a playcalling standpoint to help him?

Vick: "The playbook is the playbook. There's really no changing it at a certain point. Once you get through training camp, everything that an offense entails is probably what you're going to try the first four weeks of the season for your opponent. And so I don't think playcalling necessarily protects the quarterback. Your offense is your offense and what you're running. You just got to believe in it.

"At any point in the game, your quarterback can get hit and injured. He can get hurt in the pocket or outside the pocket."

What is the upside you see in Anthony? What can he be?

Vick: "I think Anthony can be Jalen Hurts. I think he can be Kyler Murray. I think he can be Cam Newton. [He can be] a productive quarterback who can be a dual threat at all times and be a nightmare for defenses — as he gets comfortable, as he gets more snaps.

"He came out of Florida a little early and is kind of learning on the fly now. The sky's the limit for him. I think to make a quarterback great, he has to be with the right offensive mind and I think Shane Steichen knows exactly what he's doing and he's proving it. So he landed in a good spot. It's just going to take a couple years to know what Anthony Richardson's talent will truly be."

What is the biggest thing you learned as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in your playing days that Anthony could heed?

Vick: "I think all quarterbacks can learn from one another. In regard to longevity, trying to limit the hits as much as you can, try to limit the contact as much as you can. Especially as you get older, you're gonna be required to do a lot and be asked to do a lot. Run the offense, run the football, throw the football. … That comes with paying a price for that sometimes. Be cautious about how you go about being either careless or reckless and converting [first downs] and doing the right thing as a quarterback.

"But that all comes with experience, man. He has to get knocked down, get up, get hit, get up. Then he'll get used to the speed of the game. Once that happens, you'll see a different Anthony Richardson."

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What piece of advice would you give him?

Vick: "I would say right now, while nursing the injury, just stay into it, stay in the film room, keep learning. Learn from Gardner Minshew. And keep building his football intellect. Keep building that catalog because at some point, these injuries, they come and go. When he's in Year 3 or 4 … and he gets nicked up and might have to miss two or three games, you gotta keep your mind into it. So when you do come back, you can just dive right back in and pick up where you left off.

"I know every time I got injured, I always missed the game. I missed playing. I missed being with my guys. I missed being in the huddle. I missed preparation. I tried to do as much as I could to still be a part of the team. So when I came back, that excitement was still there. Just gotta keep that. Keep that same energy."

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.