NFL Rumors: Colts 'Hope' Anthony Richardson 'Grows amid Adversity' After Benching

Anthony Richardson is 22 years old and will surely have another opportunity to start in the NFL despite the Indianapolis Colts' decision to bench him this season.

The team reportedly plans on this being a turning point in his career.

"But following this year, sources say, the Colts have no plans to give up on Richardson," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday. "They believe he has a bright future and hope that he grows amid adversity."

Richardson played just four games last season and was sidelined this season with an oblique injury. Injuries are likely always going to be a concern because he is a quarterback who makes plays with his legs.

But the passing accuracy is also troubling, as the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft has completed just 44.4 percent of his attempts with four touchdowns to seven interceptions when healthy this season.

At this point, he is still the franchise quarterback of the future given his draft status.

And he has the opportunity to learn behind a proven veteran in Joe Flacco who already led the team to wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans when Richardson was sidelined.

Flacco surely understands he isn't the long-term answer at the position either for the Colts as a 39-year-old and even told reporters this benching doesn't have to be a "negative thing" for the young signal-caller moving forward:

Richardson may have a decade or more remaining in his NFL career if he can avoid significant injuries.

With that in mind, one source told Rapoport the benching "lit a fire under him."

If that is the case, and he takes full advantage of the opportunity to learn veteran leadership and other intricacies of the quarterback position at the NFL level from Flacco, Richardson can still be the long-term starter for the Colts just like they envisioned when they selected him so high in the draft.

For now, though, the team's playoff chances rest in the hands of the veteran.