Anthony Richardson wins backup quarterback job for Colts, Keenan Allen stays mum on arrest

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Receiver Keenan Allen and quarterback Anthony Richardson tried to keep Thursday's talk centered on football. It wasn't easy in light of Allen's recent arrest on drunken driving charges or Richardson's offseason trade request.

Both still sound content to be with the Indianapolis Colts preparing for the Sept. 13 season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, even if they are playing very different roles.

Though coach Shane Steichen was essentially mum on Allen's situation, he wasted no time declaring Richardson the top backup to Daniel Jones for the second straight year. This time Richardson beat out Riley Leonard, who finished his rookie year by starting last season's finale.

“I thought Anthony played some better ball in the preseason,” Steichen said. “I think both of them had pretty good camps. There are things they could both improve on, but I thought he (Richardson) did some good things in games.”

Richardson's journey with the Colts has been an arduous one.

Indy took the athletic, strong-armed Florida star with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023, tabbing him as their future franchise quarterback. But a litany of injuries, concerns about his accuracy and the unforgettable image of taking himself briefly out of a game because he was “tired” prompted the Colts to sign Jones in free agency in 2025. That set up a rare training camp competition between Richardson and Jones.

When Jones was declared the winner, Richardson was relegated to backup duty before suffering a freak eye injury in October that ended his season.

Richardson made two trade requests and skipped the first weekend of Indy's offseason workouts, thinking a trade might happen on draft weekend. When it didn't, Richardson returned for the second week of offseason team activities and has largely sounded content to play his fourth and perhaps final season with the Colts.

“He’ll be an Indianapolis Colt this year,” general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday when asked if he expects Richardson to be with the team this season.

Richardson also said he has not spoken with his agent about the trade request recently.

“When I reported back for OTAs, you know, I was here and told myself I was going to be here and prepare myself like I was going to be here for the start of the season," Richardson said. “So I'm still trying to do the same thing, prepare myself and get ready for Day 1.”

Allen is scrambling to learn the playbook and his new teammates since signing with the Colts on Aug. 19, a move that reunited the six-time Pro Bowler with Steichen. The duo spent seven years together with the San Diego-Los Angeles Chargers.

Allen was arrested early Sunday morning, the first blip on an otherwise spotless record for the 14-year veteran who holds the Chargers career record for receptions. But he did not elaborate on what happened that night or the discussions he's had with Steichen and teammates since then.

“Because it's an ongoing legal matter, we're not going to discuss it,” Allen said. “Like I said, just focusing on football and being a good team.”

Steichen didn't add much, either, merely saying he expects Allen to play Week 1 — as Ballard said Tuesday.

“There's a legal situation going on right now, so I'm going to keep everything in house in that regard,” Steichen said. “I've got a lot of respect for Keenan, and you know I had private conversations with him. Like I said, we'll keep that in house and keep that private.”

Apparently, Allen continues to debate which jersey number to wear after giving away his preferred No. 13 to Laquon Treadwell. Allen was issued No. 10 when he arrived at training camp, and it seemed like that would be the choice — until he showed up with No. 11 for Thursday's workout.

The deadline for a final choice is looming, though.

“I tried it (No. 11) out today, I thought it was pretty sweet,” Allen said. “Ten looked good, too, so we'll keep it going, probably figure it out before that (team picture next week).”

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen (10) is tackled by Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen (10) is tackled by Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard (50) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) throws past Detroit Lions defensive tackle Eric O'Neill (66) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

MADRID (AP) — A day after tens of thousands of Spaniards protested the government’s handling of the Ceuta border crisis, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez struggled to field lawmakers' questions about the matter, including what role Morocco played in the deadly mass crossing in July.

Five weeks after the incident, it remains unclear how 72,000 people were able to stream across the border shared by the Spanish exclave in North Africa and Morocco in the first place. While rejecting suggestions that Moroccan authorities helped orchestrate the incident, Sánchez said Moroccan police “allowed the border to be crossed."

Sánchez said his government would release key reports about the border breach, but did not say when they would be made public or what they would entail.

He also elevated the official death toll from the event to 141 people, up significantly from the most-recent estimate of a total 96 in Spain and Morocco, provided by authorities in Ceuta and Morocco's National Human Rights Council. He cited the revised figure twice, but neither his office nor the interior ministry could say how it had been tallied when contacted by The Associated Press.

Sánchez is facing mounting scrutiny amid a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, where the flood of thousands of migrants has angered residents in the tiny community, which is ill-equipped to handle such an influx.

Top government officials have at times provided conflicting information about the event. Last week, the defense ministry said Spain’s intelligence agency provided prior warning of the border rush, while the interior ministry and others said it had not.

Spaniards on Wednesday joined protests in support of Ceuta, demanding solutions to the city's ongoing tensions and calling for Sánchez to step down. The crisis is shaping up to be one of the most serious threats his government has faced. Sánchez faced a barrage of questions on Thursday from lawmakers after his opening address alongside calls for early elections.

“The people of Ceuta have been without normality, without security and without answers for over a month. And we Spaniards are at the same time perplexed and outraged in the face of the violation of our territorial integrity,” said opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the center-right Popular Party.

“Why are you afraid of Morocco?” Feijóo asked.

Most of the migrants who crossed into Ceuta in late July returned to neighboring Morocco or were ushered back within days. But around 5,000 people, including 1,200 minors, remain in the city weeks later, according to the national government. Ceuta’s local government cites a higher figure of about 9,000 people.

Sánchez, who faces an election next year, has said a misinterpretation of a Supreme Court ruling and disinformation on social media encouraged people to rush the border.

The prime minister has also accused social media accounts linked to Russia and Israel and right-wing groups of exploiting and amplifying the Ceuta crisis after it happened on July 30 and 31. Israel and Russia have denied the claim.

Sánchez also maintained there was no evidence Morocco's government was behind the mass crossing.

“I can assure you that no institution — neither the diplomatic service, nor the European Commission, nor any international body — has provided the Spanish government with solid evidence that Morocco planned or carried out the incident. None,” Sánchez said.

Earlier this week, Spanish media reported that a police report had highlighted the alleged permissiveness of Moroccan security forces in the incident, but Spanish officials denied that the document blamed the Moroccan government.

Sánchez acknowledged that for a 10-hour period on July 30 when migrant arrivals peaked, Morocco’s Gendarmerie police “allowed the border to be crossed" in Ceuta, but said the same force effectively took control of it later.

As questions have grown on the right and left in Spain about Morocco's role in the event, the Spanish leader said he would wait until there was solid evidence about Rabat's involvement.

“For the record, if such solid evidence existed, we would act accordingly with absolute decisiveness, as the situation demands,” he said.

Sánchez condemned comments from two Moroccan ministers questioning the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla, Spain's other territory in North Africa. Spain summoned Morocco's ambassador in Madrid over the remarks, he said.

Morocco’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to questions from the AP seeking comment on Spain summoning the Moroccan ambassador to Madrid or the alleged Spanish police report.

The two exclaves have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.

Akram Oubachir in Casablanca, Morocco, and Renata Brito in Barcelona contributed to the report.

Migrants wait to buy food at a store in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Protesters gather in support of Ceuta to mark the city's anniversary in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Gabriel Luengas/Europa Press via AP)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addresses lawmakers about the situation in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa facing a migrant crisis, during a session of Parliament in Madrid, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (Fernando Sánchez/Europa Press via AP)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addresses lawmakers about the situation in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa facing a migrant crisis, during a session of Parliament in Madrid, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (Fernando Sánchez/Europa Press via AP)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addresses lawmakers about the situation in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa facing a migrant crisis, during a session of Parliament in Madrid, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (Fernando Sánchez/Europa Press via AP)