Colts preseason opener is marked by special teams coach collision, with Anthony Richardson back after eye injury

The Indianapolis Colts’ preseason opener produced an immediate second act, not on the stat sheet but on the sideline, where special teams coordinator Brian Mason was injured in a collision during the game. According to Yahoo Sports’ report, Mason was “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” turning what should have been a routine preseason workday into a sudden staffing and game-management test for the coaching staff.

The other headline for the Colts came first, at quarterback. Yahoo Sports framed the largest injury-related storyline of the opener as Anthony Richardson being back after a “freak” eye injury suffered last season. Richardson’s return matters because he is the engine of Indianapolis’ offense when he is able to see the field clearly and execute the passing and designed run options that define the team’s modern play-calling.

Preseason games are often treated as an extension of practice, with coaches balancing reps, positional evaluation, and the development of backups. A collision involving a lead coordinator complicates that balance, because special teams carries its own rhythm and communication patterns. Even when an injured staff member is not on the field, the unit’s day-to-day coaching and emergency adjustments fall to someone else, usually with less preparation time than normal.

For Indianapolis, the special teams coordinator role is also a linchpin for situational football. Coordinator-level oversight affects kickoff and punt formation choices, coverage scheme responsibilities, and the discipline that prevents blocked kicks and avoidable penalties. A real-time disruption, regardless of severity, can change how quickly the unit settles into its assignments for the rest of the game.

The Colts’ coaching staff will now have to work within the practical limits of the preseason schedule, including how they split special teams duties for the remainder of the exhibition period. The report did not provide additional specifics on the nature of Mason’s condition, so the immediate next step is simply confirmation of status and who is directing the unit on the sideline going forward.

Beyond staff health, Richardson’s return is the more long-term football storyline. In a league where preseason snap counts and game reps help determine depth-chart confidence, having the franchise quarterback available is a report that the team believes he is ready to carry that role into the regular-season preparation phase. How Indianapolis manages his workload from here is likely to shape his timing and comfort level, especially on play-action reads and second-level throws.

What to watch next for the Colts is straightforward: the team’s update on Mason’s availability, and then Richardson’s continuing use in live-game situations. Even with early-season readiness in mind, coaching continuity on special teams and quarterback rhythm in the passing game are two factors that tend to show up quickly once the preseason progresses.