Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen officially named Anthony Richardson the starting quarterback for the 2023 season on Monday.

Richardson earned the nod after starting the Colts’ first preseason game and impressing the coaching staff with his poise. Apparently, that was all Steichen and Co. needed to see to install the former Florida Gator as the new lead man.

Although this was the goal Richardson set for himself, he was still shocked when he got the news.

“You work for it, (but) you didn’t know when the timeline was going to be,” Richardson said to Fox News. “I was just looking forward to Week 1 and just being ready for the opportunity and getting thrown in the fire hopefully. But then he told me, and I’m like, ‘Wow, it really happened.’”

Leading up to the draft, Richardson was touted as an elite raw talent that needed development before taking over a system. Indianapolis drafted him fourth overall and never looked back, though.

With veteran Gardner Minshew as the only viable option on the roster, Richardson will be tossed head-first into the deep end of the NFL come Sept. 10.

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Story originally appeared on Gators Wire