Report: Anthony Richardson to Be 'About the Work' After Colts Benching for Joe flacco

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is doing what he can to work his way back into the good graces of coaches and teammates after being benched for Joe Flacco going into Week 9.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Richardson intends to take a pragmatic approach to the situation by "being about the work" and pushing forward because there's no indication the Colts are giving up on the 22-year-old despite his struggles this season.

Fowler and Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that Flacco will start Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Richardson became a major talking point from Week 8 after saying he subbed himself out of a game in the third quarter against the Houston Texans because he was tired.

The moment came after Richardson avoided a sack by Texans defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and got back to the line of scrimmage before being tackled by Jake Hansen.

Richardson only missed one play—a draw to Jonathan Taylor on third-and-goal from Houston's 23-yard line—but his decision to admit that he needed a break because he was tired raised a lot of eyebrows.

Colts center Ryan Kelly, who is one of the team captains, said on Monday he had a conversation with Richardson about the situation and called it a "tough look" for the entire team.

Outside the context of that individual play, Richardson has struggled mightily this season. He's completing just 44.4 percent of his attempts with more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (four) through eight games.

It's not entirely Richardson's fault that his numbers are that bad. He ranks last in percentage of inaccurate passes, but the Colts also have the highest rate of receiver error plays, quarterback being hit as he's throwing and passes defensed.

The splash plays from Richardson are a wonder to behold. He averages an NFL-high 16.2 yards per completion, nearly three yards more than the No. 2 quarterback (Brock Purdy: 13.5)

But some of the basic fundamental stuff is where Richardson really struggles. He has talked about getting "antsy" with his throws from time to time.

Richardson, prior to his benching, was the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL this season. He is six months younger than 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

The book on Richardson when he was a draft prospect is he would need a lot of development time because of his limited experience in college and concerns about his accuracy.

Both things have looked true through Richardson's first two seasons, but he's only made 10 starts because injuries limited him to four games as a rookie.

The Colts invested the fourth overall pick on Richardson in the 2023 NFL draft. They don't need to give up on him yet, but using this moment as an opportunity to reset is in everyone's best interest.