Colts bench Anthony Richardson, naming Joe Flacco as starting QB.
The Indianapolis Colts are shifting gears, benching their former first-round quarterback pick, Anthony Richardson, and opting for the experienced Joe Flacco instead.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter delivered the shocking update on Tuesday, stating,
“Coaches met this morning and made the seismic organizational decision to change QBs.”
This decision follows a turbulent Sunday for Richardson, who has faced significant challenges early in his pro career.
The Colts knew they were drafting a raw talent who needed game time to develop. Richardson had started only 13 games at Florida, with noticeable accuracy struggles that have since carried over into his NFL performance.
Sitting him now, after just 10 NFL starts—especially after publicly urging fans to be patient since the spring—feels questionable. Let’s not forget that Richardson missed out on crucial development due to a shoulder injury that prematurely ended his rookie season.
Coach Steichen’s play-calling has also raised eyebrows this season. The Colts are leaning more on passing than running, even with a strong runner like Jonathan Taylor on the roster, and the receiving core hasn’t exactly stepped up either.
In their recent loss to the Texans, running back Tyler Goodson dropped a sure touchdown, and rookie wideout Adonai Mitchell couldn’t stay inbounds on another potential score. Several other passes were dropped throughout the game. The Colts averaged 6.3 yards per carry but ended up running just 26 times versus 32 pass attempts.
Yes, Richardson has his share of improvements to make, but his teammates haven’t done him many favors. Colts receivers have a drop rate of 7.1%, putting them in the league’s lower half this season (13th), per Sportradar.
Against Houston, Richardson completed just 10 of 32 passes for 175 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He briefly left the game in the third quarter, explaining that he was simply “tired.”
Ten games into his NFL career, Richardson’s progress has been minimal. Injuries cut his early season short to just four games, and his development has stagnated since then. However, he showed flashes of his potential, averaging 5.4 yards per carry and 11.5 yards per completion, with a 59.5% completion rate.
His timing, anticipation, and accuracy on mid-range throws remain areas of concern. According to Pro Football Focus, he has completed only 51.2% of his passes up to 20 yards, totaling 507 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
While his deep throws can be impressive, leading the league in yards per completion (16.2), his inconsistency on shorter throws has been glaring.
With Stefon Diggs sidelined for the season due to an ACL tear, the Texans’ chances to hold the division’s top spot are now uncertain. Persisting with Richardson could risk team morale.
In four games this season, including two starts, Flacco has completed 65.7% of his passes for 716 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a lost fumble.
Comparatively, Richardson has thrown for 958 yards and four touchdowns, but also has seven interceptions and two lost fumbles.
Richardson’s choice to step out of Sunday’s game for one play may have only intensified the Colts’ concerns. Steichen mentioned on Monday that Richardson’s decision to pull himself did not influence the reevaluation at quarterback, though that could be mere PR.
After all, this is the same Colts organization that initially promised patience and plenty of playing time to their young QB—who now finds himself on the bench after just 10 starts.
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