The Colts benching Anthony Richardson brings their dysfunctions to light: Impatience, lies, and a directionless future

The Indianapolis Colts' choice to bench their 2023 first-round pick, Anthony Richardson, sparked quite a reaction from their fans and those across the NFL. Looking at history and comments from the decision-makers in the building, it's clear that this was a rash decision that exposes their utter dysfunction to the NFL world.  The Colts' impatience […]

Destin Adams — NFL News Writer
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Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) jogs off the field after a play during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts' choice to bench their 2023 first-round pick, Anthony Richardson, sparked quite a reaction from their fans and those across the NFL.

Looking at history and comments from the decision-makers in the building, it's clear that this was a rash decision that exposes their utter dysfunction to the NFL world. 

The Colts' impatience with Richardson 

After a busy offseason of hiring a new head coach and scouting the highly toughed quarterback class ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, the team hired former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. General manager Chris Ballard and owner Jim Irsay repeatedly cited his track record and history of working with young quarterbacks such as Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts as the main reason for choosing him. 

They then selected former University of Florida QB Anthony Richardson, who notably only started 13 games in college during his three seasons. It's something they acknowledged and used as a reason fans should be patient with the young QB before his NFL career would even begin. But now, after giving him only 10 NFL starts, they've chosen to bench the still only 22-year-old QB. 

One or more of the Colts' decision-makers broke their word to Richardson and the fan base 

Their display of impatience is problematic no matter what they have said in the past. It's even worse when you realize all three of the Colts' top decision-makers articulated the opposite when speaking on their plan and expectations for Richardson after drafting him. Why don't we take a stroll down memory road and recall some comments each shared with the public?

"I think with anything, the development of players comes with more experience. When you play more, that's how you develop. With him playing and his experience as a player and getting more reps, practice reps, game reps, I think that's how you develop him." 

"Guys have to get reps and learn the system and learn the offense. We've got to build this thing around the QB." 

– Shane Steichen

"We live in a world of instant gratification. Where we think guys ought to hit the field and be superstars from the get-go. And of course, and I heard you talking about C.J. Stroud, and his impact from the get-go, but every player's development is different. And we knew it was still going to take some more time with Anthony. We knew there was going to be some really high, highs and some low, lows, but you have to work thought that. I mean if you look, even throughout this league, Josh Allen didn't exactly light it up either right away, and he came on. So, you've got to just be patient." 

– Chris Ballard

"Its going to be tough. We know that, but he has to play to get better. I mean there's no question Gardner (Minshew) could come out and obviously play better early on just being a veteran, but we have to get Anthony on the field. That's Shane (Steichen's) call when he decides to do it."

– Jim Irsay 

But now, after just 10 starts, the Colts have benched Richardson and given the starting quarterback job to 39-year-old veteran Joe Flacco. This leads many to ask the question, "What changed?" 

The Colts, yet again, have no direction heading into 2025 and beyond

It wasn't long ago the Colts were on what seemed to be a never-ending veteran QB carousel. After the shocking retirement of Andrew Luck, the team tried multiple different "band-aid" options at QB instead of drafting their own replacement. This led them to have a different starting QB for five consecutive seasons following Luck's retirement. 

2019: Jacoby Brissett
2020: Philip Rivers
2021: Carson Wentz 
2022: Matt Ryan
2023: Anthony Richardson
2024: Anthony Richardson (Finally)
2025: ? (Oh boy, here we go again)

The relief this fan base and even players in the locker room had by seeing and believing they had finally found some desperately needed stability at the QB position was just what the doctor ordered. A fanbase and roster that you could truly hear and feel the exhaustion that the instability and unknown surrounding the QB position for half a decade had caused seemed to be healed in the blink of an eye. But this ridiculous decision by the Colts to prematurely shut the book on Richardson's tenure as their starting QB has brought that feeling back faster than it seemed to leave. 

I won't sit here and tell you that I think I'm smarter than Steichen, Ballard, or Mr. Irsay. But I will tell you that I think one or all of them are making a gigantic mistake benching Richardson. They can say they plan on going back to Richardson after he sits and learns behind Flacco. But history tells us that teams hardly go back to young starters after benching them in this capacity. So, if they do plan on doing it, they better have a better plan than the countless other teams who have tried this approach. Because if they try to trot out a new veteran QB in 2025 as their presumed starter, they will most likely lose the fanbase and the locker room and set this franchise back tremendously. 

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