Joe Flacco: Anthony Richardson’s Colts Benching ‘Doesn’t Have to Be a Negative Thing’

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco attempted to put a positive spin on his elevation to the starting job over Anthony Richardson.

The 39-year-old said he’ll try to pass some of the wisdom he has gained to Richardson so that the second-year star can take getting benched and make something productive out of it.

The Colts bumped the 2023 first-round pick down the depth chart following a poor Week 8 performance in a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. He finished 10-of-32 for 175 yards, one touchdown and an interception, and fans were left puzzled to learn he briefly asked out of the game because he was “tired.”

It looks as though Indianapolis is trying to light a fire under a player it hopes will grow into a franchise quarterback. However, head coach Shane Steichen made it clear this goes beyond wanting to send a message.

“I’m just looking where we’re at as a football team, sitting at .500 with a lot of football left, and feel that Joe gives us the best chance going forward,” he told reporters Wednesday.

In a vacuum, putting Richardson on the sideline and handing him a clipboard might be beneficial to his development. He only had one full season as a starter under his belt in college, and many considered him to be a long-term project from a pro perspective.

Benching him after he has logged 10 starts is bound to look a little reactionary, though, even if Flacco is a better option in the short term. With some young quarterbacks, you simply have to let them work through their mistakes.

Advertisement

The Colts will eventually hand Richardson the keys to the offense again, whether it’s later this year or in the offseason. They’ve invested too much in him to move on already.

How he handles this demotion could go a long way toward prepping him to hit the ground running once he’s reinstalled as the starter.