Cam Newton Rips Anthony Richardson Subbing Out vs. Texans: 'This S--t Ain't Easy'

Former NFL MVP Cam Newton didn't hold back in criticizing Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson for subbing himself out in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans.

On his 4th & 1 podcast, Newton explained "this s--t ain't easy" when discussing Richardson and what led to him taking himself off the field.

Newton went on to say he's had discussions with Richardson about his style of play and he needs to do a better job of sliding to avoid contact, which will help preserve his energy throughout a given game.

Richardson's brief departure against the Texans became a much bigger story after the game when he admitted he was tired after running to avoid pressure on the previous play before taking himself out.

Richardson only missed one play against the Texans, but his postgame comment caused a stir. Colts center Ryan Kelly, who is also one of the team captains, said he had a discussion with the second-year quarterback about the situation.

"I'll kind of leave the conversation we had at that," Kelly said. "I know he's going to take some criticism for that, and rightfully so, that's a tough look."

The Colts decided to bench Richardson for Joe Flacco starting with Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. The belief is the move is about his overall performance this season rather than any sort of discipline for subbing himself out.

Newton was a popular comparison for Richardson leading up to the 2023 NFL draft because they are both big-bodied quarterbacks with incredible athleticism and some questions about their accuracy.

Things worked out okay for Newton for several years before injuries caught up to him. Richardson is only 22 and has plenty of time to turn things around, but for now he will be watching from the sidelines while the Colts try to make a playoff push in the AFC.