According to Ian Rapoport, Colts owner Jim Irsay was not involved in the decision to bench QB Anthony Richardson or to reinsert him in the starting lineup after two games.
Colts HC Shane Steichen made the call both times, per Rapoport, though Irsay was in the loop and signed off. Steichen planned to stick with veteran QB Joe Flacco the rest of the season, per Rapoport, but his struggles prompted a turn back to Richardson.
Irsay has a reputation as a hands-on owner. But in this particular case, it does not seem like he was the mastermind of how the team handled Richardson. Reporting from Colts beat reporters over the past week has also been in line with this.
The Colts did turn down trade interest in Richardson before the deadline, so it seems like the goal had been to go back to the former first-rounder at some point. Steichen has said they challenged Richardson to be more detail-oriented in his leadership and preparation and were happy with how he responded.
Richardson, 22, declared for the draft following his redshirt sophomore season in 2022 and his first as a full-time starter at Florida. The Colts selected him with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He signed a four-year, $36,874,031 contract with a $23,817,477 signing bonus and will carry a $6,704,369 cap figure for the 2023 season. The Colts will also have a fifth-year option to decide on in 2026.
Richardson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery to repair his AC joint after going down in Week 5 of his rookie year.
In 2024, Richardson has appeared in six games and completed 44.4 percent of his passes for 958 passing yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He has also rushed 41 times for 242 yards and one touchdown.
We’ll have more on the Colts quarterback situation as the news is available.
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