The 150-game milestone comes with life membership at the Swans, something neither Richards nor many others felt was possible when he was languishing in the reserves back in 2010.
Off contract at the end of that season, Craig Bolton's early-season retirement gave Richards another shot, and this time he took full advantage.
Since round 15, 2010, the key defender has missed just one game.
In 2012, at the age of 29, he became a first-time All Australian, played in a premiership and finished second in the Swans' best and fairest.
"I was watching footy the other night and they were talking about some player coming to the peak of their career and he was 23," Richards, who turned 30 in January, said on Thursday.
"If that's the case, I'm definitely an exception to the rule.
"Right now I’m really enjoying my footy and I think that has a lot to do with how you play, so hopefully it continues.
"The optimist in me thinks that this year could be even better than last year."
The Swans will unfurl their 2012 premiership flag in Saturday's match against Gold Coast at the SCG.
It brings back memories for Richards, whose first game at the venue as a Swan was for the presentation of the 2005 flag, not long after his trade from Essendon.
"In my first game at the SCG, we unfurled the flag here in round two and we got smashed," he recalled of the match against Port Adelaide.
"I'm fully aware that if we take our mind off what it should be on, we could be in for a real shock.
"It's something we're proud to do and then we'll quickly get down to what we're here to do and that's win on the weekend."
It has been an unconventional journey for Richards, who was recruited to the Swans as a forward to play alongside some of the club's biggest stars.
"I actually came up here to be a key forward prospect to help out Barry Hall and Micky O'Loughlin," he said.
"It took a turn halfway through the career, but I'm happy down back and really enjoying my footy down there.
"We've got guys like Sam Reid and (Kurt) Tippett … I'll leave it to them."
The Richards name could also remain at the Swans for some time, with Ted's teenage brother Xavier, another key defender, added to the club's rookie list last year.
But Ted is not sure if they will get a chance to play together.
"It definitely is a dream to play with him one day, but he's a skinny 19-year-old who has a lot to work on," Richards said.
"He also needs to push someone out of their spot.
"I'm hoping it's not me."
James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD
