Anthony Richardson explains his controversial preseason celebration
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (QB11) speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson attracted a lot of attention on Thursday for a fairly bold celebration, but the rookie says he did not mean anything by it.
Richardson did the famous “Fly Eagles Fly” celebration after leading a touchdown drive in Thursday’s preseason game at Philadelphia. The move got him roundly booed by Eagles fans, and divided opinion online.
After the game, however, Richardson said he meant nothing by the celebration and was just having fun.
“Sometimes when you get into the end zone, you just freeze up and don’t know what to do. So I was contemplating what I was going to do if I scored or if somebody else scored,” Richardson said, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “So I ran down there and I was just flapping my arms and having fun. I hope nobody took it the wrong way. I was just balling, having fun out there, and enjoying it.”
Some fans will inevitably take it the wrong way, but Richardson may well have just been having fun. As long as he backs it up, as one ex-Colt thinks he will, there will not be any real problems here.
