Getty Image / Michael Owens
Indianapolis Colts fans seem ready to pull the plug on general manager Chris Ballard after he made a questionable comparison between Anthony Richardson and Andrew Luck.
After being asked what it means to potentially not have Jonathan Taylor, Chris Ballard shrugged it off with what he probably thought was a “gotcha” moment.
A media member simply asked if Ballard the absence of Taylor could possibly stunt Anthony Richardson’s growth. Which is a fair question considering Richardson is a project that needs time to develop.
After responding with a firm “no,” the Colts’ general manager then asked a question of his own that caught everyone off guard.
“Did it stunt Andrew Luck’s growth without a special back?”
#Colts GM Chris Ballard says he doesn't think Jonathan Taylor's situation will hinder Anthony Richardson's growth.
"Did it stunt Andrew Luck's growth without a special back?"pic.twitter.com/rHksHLLTom
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 30, 2023
Is that really the best comparison considering Andrew Luck chose to retire because he was dealing with too many injuries?
Also, Luck was miles ahead as a prospect entering the league in comparison to Richardson. When Andrew Luck was drafted, he was being compared to Peyton Manning because of how pro-ready he was.
Colts fans were quick to call out Ballard, as his Richardson-Luck comparison rubbed them the wrong way.
No just made him retire early because of the lack of talent around him. Also those are two completely different prospects
— The Rational Football League Show (@TheRFLShow) August 30, 2023
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see how it plays out for him.
Ahh yes, I’m sure handling Richardson exactly like how they handled Luck won’t backfire at all😬
— Parker’s Picks (@parkers_pickss) August 30, 2023
Might be one of the worst you’ll see.
That’s a terrible example 😂
— SaucedArod (@SaucedArod) August 30, 2023
Hopefully, for the Colts, it’s not a repeat situation.
Andrew Luck was literally too injured to keep playing
— Drink More Water | Get More Sleep 🐬 (@hughart_michael) August 30, 2023
To be fair, the Colts didn’t hire Chris Ballard in 2017. He was the general manager during Luck’s final year in Indianapolis for the 2017-18 season.
Since then, Ballard has constructed a solid offensive line over his reign. However, the Colts have failed to win the AFC South for nearly 10 years.
With that in mind, maybe Richardson can survive without having a premiere running back helping him out. It’s just that this comparison makes little to no sense.