Perhaps stars like Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson have the best chance to win the 2024 NFL MVP Award. But don’t forget about Anthony Richardson. The young Indianapolis Colts quarterback is primed for a breakout year.
Indianapolis drafted Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Florida Gator was supposed to have a solid first year and compete for Rookie of the Year honors. However, he played in only four games due to injury.
Thankfully, Richardson is healthy now and ready to go. If he can stay injury-free, a monster sophomore season just might be in the cards.
Could Anthony Richardson Realistically Win MVP in 2024?
Players Who’ve Won MVP in Year 2
Seven players in NFL history have won MVP during their second season. The list consists of Jim Brown (1958), Jim Nance (1966), Earl Campell (1979), Dan Marino (1984), Kurt Warner (1999), Patrick Mahomes (2018), and Lamar Jackson (2019).
Warner and Mahomes were the two biggest surprises. Both players appeared in only one game as a rookie before exploding in Year 2. As a rookie in 1998, Warner had just 11 pass attempts. Then the following year, he threw for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns and led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory. He won Super Bowl MVP after throwing 414 yards and two touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans.
Mahomes played behind starter Alex Smith during his rookie year. But after taking over in his second season, he threw for a ridiculous 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns.
Richardson isn’t going to win a Super Bowl like Warner or record 5,000 yards like Mahomes. But he could still put together an MVP-caliber campaign.
Is Anthony Richardson Next?
Anthony Richardson must escape the injury bug if he wants to have any major accomplishments. He struggled mightily to stay healthy last season. He injured his knee in Week 1, and got a concussion in Week 2, which forced him to miss the following game. Then he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during Week 5. Richardson only finished one of his four games.
Although Richardson hasn’t played much thus far, he showed flashes of greatness healthy. He produced seven touchdowns (three passing and four rushing) during his first three games. Mahomes (10) and Marcus Mariota (eight) are the only players in the past 30 years who’ve had more TDs in their first three contests.
The Colts have surrounded Richardson with a great supporting cast. 2021 rushing champ Jonathan Taylor is one of the NFL’s best running backs. The team has a fascinating wide receiver room, featuring Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell, and Alec Pierce. Plus, they have a solid tight-end group that includes guys like Jelani Woods and Kylen Granson. Also, led by Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis possesses one of the league’s top offensive lines.
That will make it easier for Richardson to win MVP this upcoming season. Yes, he can realistically win the award. But, of course, there are a lot of things that have to go right. For starters, he must play in a lot more than four games this year. If he can emerge as the star dual-threat QB that he’s predicted to be, a big-time season is definitely on the horizon.
Main Photo: Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK
