Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Monday that Anthony Richardson will remain the team’s starting quarterback when healthy. Joe Flacco will return to backing up Richardson once the second-year pro is able to return.
The Colts listed Anthony Richardson as questionable heading into Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars because of an oblique injury he suffered in the Colts’ Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Flacco came to replace Richardson, and the Colts offense has not missed a beat with the 39-year-old veteran in at quarterback. Against the Steelers, Flacco helped the Colts hold onto the win by completing 16 of 26 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns.
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Flacco played even more impressively on Sunday in the Colts’ loss to the Jaguars. On a day when the defense allowed nearly 500 yards to the Jaguars, Flacco helped the Colts stay in the game and nearly off what would have been an incredible comeback.
The Colts trailed the Jaguars by two touchdowns with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter when Flacco orchestrated two touchdown drives in the final five minutes to tie up the game. Flacco connected deep with Alec Pierce to put the Colts just a couple of yards from the goal line, where they ran it in for the touchdown. On their next drive, Flacco reached Pierce on a 65-yard touchdown pass to tie up the game.
The Jaguars won thanks to a field goal in the final 20 seconds of the game, but Flacco’s performance in leading the Colts on four fourth-quarter scoring drives could not be ignored.
Going back to Flacco’s time last year with the Cleveland Browns, when he helped the Browns survive their desperate quarterback situation and reach the playoffs while winning Comeback Player of the Year, Flacco has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of his last seven regular season games. He has passed for at least 300 yards in five of them.
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Despite Flacco’s success, the Colts are sticking with Richardson. After all, the Colts invested in Richardson by drafting him No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Richardson is an incredibly talented player, but he has yet to reach consistency at the position.
In one game, Richardson can throw a 60-yard touchdown pass under pressure, making a throw that just a number of quarterbacks in the history of the NFL could. The next game, he’ll throw three back-breaking interceptions that cost his team the win.
Richardson’s inconsistency is why some might believe Flacco should continue starting, but ultimately, Steichen and the Colts are going with the young quarterback they invested their future in.
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