The Indianapolis Colts have lost their patience with struggling second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. After another inefficient performance in Week 8, Richardson is being benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Flacco will be the starter for the Week 9 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Colts had big hopes for Richardson, their fourth overall pick in 2023, this season. Following a shoulder injury that limited him to four games in his rookie season, the Florida Gators product was healthy and looked good in the preseason.
However, Richardson has been historically bad in passing games in the six games he played so far in 2024. He completed just 44.4% of his passes while throwing for 958 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
It also didn’t help that Richardson’s leadership hasn’t been the best. This was on full display in a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans when he decided to sit out one play because he was “tired.” The move didn’t sit well with his teammates or coaches, although it reportedly didn’t have an impact on his benching.
Sources close to the organization say that the Colts didn’t give up on Richardson. They still believe he can be their quarterback of the future but recognize he needs to put in a lot of work and learn in order to get there. Sitting behind a seasoned veteran like Flacco will give him an opportunity to do so.
