Anthony Richardson has shown the Indianapolis Colts over the past two weeks, off the field, that he is ready to be their starting quarterback again.
Two tough losses might have helped convince the Colts’ leadership, too. Either way, Richardson is back as the starter.
Coach Shane Steichen announced on Wednesday that he was making another quarterback change, putting the 22-year-old Richardson back in charge while benching 39-year-old Joe Flacco.
“He’s going to be our starter again, he’s going to start for the rest of the season and we’re going to go from there,” Steichen said. “I informed Joe of the decision yesterday. He’s the ultimate pro. He respects the decision, he understands it.”
Steichen had originally made the change because he thought Flacco gave the Colts (4-6) the best chance to win in the short term.
However, Flacco turned the ball over six times in two losses. The offense had trouble scoring and staying on the field, and the Colts lost ground in the race for the AFC’s seventh playoff spot.
Now, the Colts are turning back to Richardson as their franchise quarterback. So, what changed? It looks like Richardson’s dedication to improving has made the difference.
“It was, ‘Hey, Anthony, these are the areas we need to work on and see growth and improvement and he’s made great strides in those areas,” Steichen said. “I didn’t have a timetable on it, but I knew at some point, you know, we were not going to give up on Anthony.”
For Richardson, this is another chapter in what has already been a stop-and-go career.
After being drafted No. 4 overall in 2023, the former Florida star quickly earned the starting job. But his rookie season didn’t last long.
He started the Colts’ first two games, missed Week 3 due to a concussion, then started two more games before needing season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder.
This season has been similar. Richardson started the first four games, missed two with a hip injury, then started two more before being benched.
Now, the youngest quarterback in the NFL will return to the field for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets and their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who is the oldest in the league.
“I just showed I’m willing to be a pro, I’m willing to sacrifice anything I need to do for the team,” Richardson said. “I feel that these past two weeks have definitely opened my eyes and allowed me to do that and do a deeper dive and look into myself and see what I’m made of, so I’m thankful for these past two weeks and I’m real glad to have it (the job).”
Flacco, last season’s AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, won two of the five games he played with the Colts but was 1-3 as a starter.
Still, the decision to switch quarterbacks came as a surprise. On Monday, the day after Flacco threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in a 30-20 loss to Buffalo, Steichen had said it seemed like Flacco would remain the starter for the rest of the season.
But less than 24 hours later, Steichen informed Flacco of the decision, just days before Flacco faced one of his former teams.
“Shane and I had a private conversation, and it was a good talk and that’s all I’m going to say,” Flacco said. “Every time you take the field you’re being evaluated, and I’m definitely disappointed the way the last two weeks went.
Any time you walk into the locker room like this, and you have the ability to play for the guys, you want to do a good job for them.” Now, Richardson has to prove that the Colts made the right move.
In his first six games this season, Richardson threw seven interceptions and four touchdowns with a league-low 44.4% completion rate. He believes the extra time he’s put in over the past two weeks has helped him develop better habits that he hopes will help him improve both on and off the field.
If that happens, the Colts might finally figure out if Richardson can be their long-term answer at quarterback, ending the ongoing search since Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement in 2019.
“I feel like there’s still room for improvement all around, but lately I’ve been working on consistency, just trying to get better at that,” Richardson said. “The past couple of weeks I’ve been trying to focus on sacrificing more. Guys ask me to do certain things, you’ve got to do it. They’re sacrificing, so why not do it?”
