Indianapolis Colts promising second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson admitted to being hurt by the organization’s decision to start veteran Joe Flacco over him this week against the Minnesota Vikings.
Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has had a tough start to his NFL career, missing significant time in his rookie season due to a season-ending shoulder injury. 39-year-old Flacco, who joined the Colts on a one-year deal in March, took over the reins after Richardson failed to capture the accuracy needed to be efficient in the Indianapolis offense.
“Of course, everybody knows the news. Im not starting this upcoming week. Of course, it hurts,” said Richardson to the media. “As a competitor, you definitely dont want to be told that youre not the guy anymore, but its all good. Im using this moment as an opportunity to grow and learn from my mistakes.”
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Richardsons second season has been an up-and-down journey filled with glimpses of brilliance behind his cannon for an arm and accuracy issues that have now led to his benching. The Colts opened the season with consecutive losses to the Texans and Packers, where Richardson registered four interceptions.
In the 16-10 loss to Green Bay, Richardson completed just 17 of 34 passes with 204 yards and a touchdown but threw three costly interceptions. In Week 3, the Colts secured a 21-16 victory over the Bears, though it was primarily Jonathan Taylors standout performance in the ground game that secured the win. Taylor ran for 110 yards on 23 carries, scoring two touchdowns. While Richardson started under center, he had a quiet game, recording 167 passing yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Colts faith in Richardson began to shift after he sustained a hip injury in the first quarter against the Steelers, paving the way for Flacco’s entrance. Flacco made an immediate impact, throwing for 168 yards and two touchdowns, steering the team to a narrow 27-24 victory.
Despite returning to the starting lineup in Week 7, Richardsons performance in the 16-10 win over the Dolphins saw him post just 129 yards without a touchdown. The final blow came in the Colts’ 23-20 loss to the Texans, where Richardson’s inconsistencies saw him complete just 10 of 32 passes for 175 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Richardson also drew criticism in the Texans’ loss after sitting on the sideline with the game on the line due to fatigue from the previous two plays, where he had to scramble behind a shaky offensive line. “I was tired. I’m not going to lie. That was a lot of running right there,” he said after the game.
“I didn’t think I was going to be able to go that next play, so I just told [Colts coach] Shane [Steichen] I just needed a break right there.” The Colts will go into Week 9 with a 4-4 record against the Vikings, one of the NFL’s best teams this season at 5-2.
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