Sports
Anthony Richardson’s benching goes far beyond his play: ‘A fascinating management dilemma’
The Indianapolis Colts’ decision to replace young franchise quarterback Anthony Richardson with 39-year-old Joe Flacco offers a window into a poorly understood NFL world.
The decision makes no sense on the surface because Richardson has started only 10 games, including six this season, and the variance in his play was predictable. The organization at every level knew when drafting Richardson at No. 4 in 2023 that he would alternate between sensational plays and confounding ones while hopefully figuring out how to play the position after starting only 13 games in college.
The team has a 5-5 record in Richardson’s starts, better than the 4-6 average for the last 130 quarterbacks making their first 10 starts, per TruMedia. Richardson’s statistics through 10 games mirror those for Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen to the same point of Allen’s career.
These seemingly logical touchstones distract from the reality facing the Colts. They are not important parts of the equation Indianapolis is trying to solve.
“What a fascinating management dilemma to be in,” a former executive from one of the Colts’ division rivals said.
Richardson taking himself out of the team’s Week 8 game against the Houston Texans and then explaining casually afterward that he was tired and needed a breather left the organization with an excruciating choice: bench Richardson, or lose even more credibility with a locker room that already knows the offense runs more efficiently with Flacco in the lineup.
Seemingly every former NFL coach and player with a platform has weighed in to express just how profoundly unbelievable it was for an NFL quarterback, as the face of the franchise, to casually take a break in the middle of a hard-fought divisional game.
GO DEEPER
No tapping out: Colts QB Anthony Richardson has hard lesson to learn from the bench
“I can’t even wrap my mind around the fact that you are asking out of a game,” former 12-year offensive lineman Damien Woody said in his role as an ESPN analyst.
Woody’s reaction and the many others like it reflect long-established NFL sensibilities that Richardson might only now be beginning to grasp.
“That position, rightfully or wrongfully, defines your whole team,” a former high-ranking executive with extensive NFL playing experience said. “And if he is defined as that guy that raises his hand and comes out when it gets tough, you can’t have that.”
Those unfamiliar with NFL team and locker room dynamics will point to comparisons such as the 10-start comps for Richardson and the Bills’ Allen, suggesting Indianapolis is sacrificing the future for short-term gains. They don’t see any upside in riding Flacco to what might wind up being, at best, a short-lived playoff run.
First 10 starts: Allen vs. Richardson
| QB | Allen | Richardson |
|---|---|---|
|
W-L |
4-6 |
5-5 |
|
Cmp |
146 |
109 |
|
Att |
279 |
217 |
|
Cmp% |
52.3% |
50.2% |
|
Pass yds |
1,776 |
1,535 |
|
Yds/att |
6.4 |
7.1 |
|
TD-INT |
7-11 |
7-8 |
|
Rating |
64.2 |
68.8 |
|
Sack rate |
7.9% |
6.9% |
|
EPA/pass play |
-0.07 |
-0.06 |
|
Rushes |
76 |
66 |
|
Rush yds |
510 |
378 |
|
Yds/rush |
6.7 |
5.7 |
|
Rush TD |
6 |
5 |
Those on the inside see things differently. To them, the Colts decided the price for leaving Richardson in the lineup under these circumstances was higher than the price for replacing him. They chose to save the locker room now, in hopes of saving Richardson later, because they understand the tricky dynamics at work.
“If you enable him now, you lose everything,” the former high-ranking executive said, “because you sent the wrong message to your team and you sent the wrong message to him, that his behavior is acceptable. He will never recover from it.”
Can Richardson recover now?
“It’s really hard to develop a quarterback who is so far behind in learning to play the position that he’s in frantic mode all the time,” a personnel evaluator said. “This kid is truly a project more than a developmental player.”
Those who believed that about Richardson entering the draft believe it even more now. But if there was a decent chance Richardson might develop, that could still be the case.
“Maybe I’m being naïve,” the former high-ranking executive said, “but I think it is doable, and if you do it, you’re better than ever.”
In other words, if Richardson does possess the qualities required for him to become a consistent performer and true professional at what might be the most challenging position in professional team sports, those qualities will prevail in the end. But none of that will matter if he learns early on that it’s OK to do what he did as the face of the Colts’ franchise.
“The players are the smartest ones in the building,” a coach from another team said. “They know how hard he is practicing. They know how much extra film he is watching. They know how much he cares. They know it’s weird for a quarterback to step out of a game, and they know it’s weird to say, ‘I needed to take a little break,’ and not act like anything is wrong. They know he is probably not ready to play.”
Richardson is not the first highly drafted young quarterback to get benched early in his career, but he is probably the first to lose his job under these specific circumstances. The Colts have denied that Richardson’s opt-out against the Texans played any role in the decision to bench him, which is understandable for them to say, but not believable.
“If you cover for him, you can do more damage,” an executive from another team said. “Those players know. The fact that they saw it on TV, if you tried to cover for him, you risk dividing your team.”
And so the Colts’ quarterback adventures continue following Andrew Luck’s surprise 2019 retirement. What happened this week is the latest in a chain reaction of unplanned events:
• Luck retires, shocking the organization.
• Convinced the roster was ready to win, the Colts cycled through veteran stopgaps Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan, only to lose ground.
• As frustration mounted, owner Jim Irsay snapped, replacing coach Frank Reich with former player Jeff Saturday before eventually hiring current coach Shane Steichen.
• General manager Chris Ballard, hired in 2017 and under increasing pressure to solve the post-Luck QB riddle, took a risky swing on Richardson despite the QB’s thin resume.
• Steichen’s job was to maximize Richardson, but in doing so last season, the quarterback kept getting hurt. Indy sought to find the right usage balance this season, but Richardson got hurt anyway, opening the door for Flacco, who shined in relief, adding to the tension.
Then came the tap-out in Houston, and here we are again, with the Colts in turmoil at the position where stability is everything, and with Richardson’s career somehow at a crossroads after only 10 starts.
It’s a rough spot to be in. Even if Richardson gains a fuller understanding of his professional obligations, he still must prove he can stay healthy and pass accurately enough to win consistently.
“If you salvage him, you’ve nailed it,” the former high-ranking executive said. “You have brought him back from nowhere. He is better than ever then. He has seen how bad it could be and it makes him appreciate everything about being the guy.”
(Photo: Tim Warner / Getty Images)
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HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL
CITY SECTION FINALS
FRIDAY
At Birmingham
DIVISION I
#1 Taft d. #3 Cleveland, 25-23, 25-14, 25-21
DIVISION IV
#7 Maywood CES d. #4 Math & Science College Prep, 25-17, 25-17, 25-23
At Venice
DIVISION II
#4 Marquez d. #6 Narbonne, 23-25, 25-19, 29-27, 25-16
DIVISION III
#13 Birmingham d. #2 Legacy, 25-20, 17-25, 31-33, 25-21, 15-10
SATURDAY
At Birmingham
OPEN DIVISION
#3 Chatsworth d. #1 Granada Hills, 24-26, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18
DIVISION V
314 Franklin d. #13 Rancho Dominguez, 25-18, 25-19, 25-16
SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
THURSDAY
At Home Sites
DIVISION 9
Vasquez d. Tarbut V’ Torah, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-10
FRIDAY
At Cerritos College
DIVISION 1
#1 Mira Costa d. #3 Loyola, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22
DIVISION 4
Sunny Hills d. Royal, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23
At Home Sites
DIVISION 5
Bishop Diego d. St. Anthony, 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23
DIVISION 8
Temescal Canyon d. West Valley, 24-26, 25-16, 25-19, 25-23
SATURDAY
At Cerritos College
DIVISION 2
Orange Lutheran d. Edison, 3-1
DIVISION 3
Windward d. St, John Bosco, 24-26, 25–21, 25-22, 25-20
DIVISION 6
Culver City d. Garden Grove, 27-25, 25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 15-9
Sports
It’s Game 7, and we have a bet locked in as the Cavaliers and legacies are on the line against the Pistons
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The NBA takes a lot of flak for having meaningless games, and I can definitely understand it, watching on a random Wednesday in January. However, the playoffs have delivered over and over to viewers and rewarded us for putting up with garbage regular-season games.
This will be the fourth Game 7 of the playoffs. Three series have been sweeps, and the other three have been six games. That shows competitive hoops. Now, how do we bet this Game 7 in the Eastern Conference?
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew it. After not winning a road game all postseason, they took Game 5 in surprising fashion. It looked like they were going to win in six games. After all, they hadn’t lost a game at home in the postseason.
Instead, Detroit came out and blitzed the Cavs, never giving them a chance to get their footing. They lost in an ugly fashion and now have to figure out a way to win a game on the road.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half of Game 5 in the second-round NBA playoffs in Detroit on May 13, 2026. (Duane Burleson/AP)
It isn’t just the Cavs’ fate that rests in this game. It is also the legacy of James Harden and, to a lesser extent, Donovan Mitchell.
We know that Mitchell is a very good player, but he isn’t regarded as one of the best players ever. Harden is. Unfortunately, Harden has struggled in Game 7s. He’s averaged 19.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds. That’s not terrible, but looking at his shooting percentages, he is at 35.3% and 22.2% in those games. He actually is 4-4 overall in the games, but in his past three, he has scored a combined 34 points over 113 minutes.
The Detroit Pistons seem to like playing with their backs against the wall. They are a gritty team, so I suppose it makes sense.
Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren reacts after allowing a pass to go out of bounds in the second half of Game 4 of the second-round NBA playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on May 11, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
Cade Cunningham continues to deliver for the team, and he finally got some help in Game 6 from Jalen Duren. This was never going to be an easy series for Duren, but it feels like he is taking more time to mature than others. He definitely improved this year, but the consistency they need from him just isn’t there yet.
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Now as the team goes home they will need Duren to be a beast on the glass. If he can keep the Pistons in the rebounding battle, they should win this game with ease. They won Game 6 by just three rebounds, but that takes away a big dimension of what Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley do for the Cavs. It isn’t everything, though, as the Pistons won the rebounding battle in both losses in Cleveland.
I don’t see this being a runaway game for the Pistons. Mitchell and Cunningham likely will cancel each other out with scoring. Harden needs to establish himself as the third-best player on the floor. I haven’t seen him do that in the postseason, yet.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden talk during Game 2 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs vs. the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Ohio. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)
This is the second Game 7 of the playoffs for both of the clubs, so it isn’t like either will be caught off guard about what this entails.
If I look at it objectively, I think the Cavs have the better players. However, the Pistons have looked significantly better this season, and definitely in the playoffs overall. Both are prone to issues and slipping. The Cavs shouldn’t be as they are a veteran team.
This game has to be won by Cleveland, though. There is too much riding on the franchise and legacies of guys for them to not prepare properly for it. Maybe that’s weak analysis, but I’m taking the Cavs with the points and I do think they win outright. I expect a monster game from Mitchell, and Harden should get 10+ assists.
Either way, whoever wins will lose to the New York Knicks.
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION 1
Murrieta Mesa 10, Valley View 0
Orange Lutheran 10, Millikan 0
Chino Hills 2, El Modena 1
Etiwanda 14, Agoura 13
Palos Verdes 3, Riverside King 2
Cypress 4, Fullerton 2
Ayala 11, Charter Oak 1
Riverside Poly 7, California 3
Norco 2, Marina 1
DIVISION 3
Rancho Cucamonga 9, Paloma Valley 1
Great Oak 5, West Torrance 2
Edison 8, El Segundo 5
El Toro 9, Colton 0
Murrieta Valley 9, Redondo Union 8
North Torrance 5, Beaumont 0
West Ranch 7, Trabuco Hills 6
San Juan Hills 8, Riverside North 7
Oak Park 10, Cerritos Valley Christian 4
Highland 7, Northview 2
La Serna 4, Carter 0
Dos Pueblos 5, Crescenta Valley 0
Liberty 10, Arcadia 3
DIVISION 5
Anaheim 11, Flintridge Sacred Heart 0
Patriot 11, Arrowhead Christian 9
Temple City 9, Rancho Christian 6
Grace 11, Buena Park 0
Crean Lutheran 3, Alemany 2
Shadow Hills 8, Cerritos 3
San Marcos 10, Leuzinger 0
South El Monte 7, Long Beach Wilson 5
Covina 11, Garden Grove Santiago 1
Muir 8, Rio Hondo Prep 7
Santa Monica 6, Katella 5
Ontario 6, Norwalk 2
Northwood 18, Duarte 11
DIVISION 7
Bloomington 9, Fillmore 8
Miller 11, Savanna 3
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 11, Riverside Springs Magnolia 4
Faith Baptist 18, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 4
Twentynine Palms 16, Rancho Alamitos 15
Riverside Notre Dame 12, Costa Mesa 2
Firebaugh 9, Pioneer 8
Chadwick 6, Desert Christian Academy 1
Cathedral City 2, Artesia 1
Orange 9, Bellflower 3
Santa Ana 10, Hawthorne 0
Culver City 9, Temecula Prep 8
DIVISION 8
Banning 20, Redlands Adventist 3
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION 1
La Habra at Murrieta Mesa, noon
Chino Hills at Orange Lutheran
Etiwanda at Westlake
La Mirada at Palos Verdes, noon
Garden Grove Pacifica at Cypress, noon
Ayala at JSerra
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Oaks Christian, 1 p.m.
Norco at Riverside Poly
DIVISION 2
Bonita at Ganesha, 11 a.m.
Whittier Christian at Warren
Simi Valley at St. Paul
Moorpark at Lakewood St. Joseph, 11 a.m.
Temescal Canyon at San Clemente, 12:30 p.m.
Huntington Beach at Camarillo, Monday
Saugus at Vista Murrieta, 12:30 p.m.
Mater Dei at Gahr, noon
DIVISION 3
Great Oak at Rancho Cucamonga
Edison at El Toro, Monday
Murrieta Valley at North Torrance
West Ranch at San Juan Hills
Riverside Prep at Oak Park, 12:30 p.m.
La Serna at Highland
Dos Pueblos at La Salle, Monday
Villa Park at Liberty, 1 p.m.
DIVISION 4
St. Bonaventure at Harvard-Westlake, 11 a.m.
Apple Valley at Oxnard
Don Lugo at Monrovia, 1:30 p.m.
La Quinta at Mira Costa
Rio Mesa at Mission Viejo, 10 a.m.
Oak Hills at Sunny Hills
Ramona at Paramount
Burbank Burroughs at Rosary, Monday
DIVISION 5
Anaheim vs. Santa Clara at Beck Park
Temple City at Patriot
Crean Lutheran at Grace
Viewpoint at Shadow Hills
San Marcos at Irvine University, noon
South El Monte at Covina
Santa Monica at Muir, 10:30 a.m.
Northwood at Ontario, 1 p.m.
DIVISION 6
Irvine at Lakeside
Alhambra at Heritage
Eastside at Granite Hills, noon
El Monte at St. Genevieve
Sierra Vista vs. Southlands Christian at Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd
Hesperia Christian vs. St. Monica Prep at Memorial Park, 2 p.m.
Arroyo at Lancaster
San Jacinto at Jurupa Valley
DIVISION 7
Bloomington at Ramona Convent
Miller at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel
Faith Baptist at Twentynine Palms, Monday
Firebaugh vs. Riverside Notre Dame at Ramona
Chadwick at Cathedral City
Orange at Victor Valley, 11 a.m.
Santa Ana at Culver City, Monday
Windward at Edgewood, Monday at 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION 8
ACE at Avalon
Bolsa Grande vs. San Bernardino, Monday at San Bernardino College
Workman at Glendale
Cobalt at Santa Rosa Academy
Bell Gardens vs. Brentwood at John Anson Ford Park
Pomona Catholic vs. Capistrano Valley Christian at Laguna Hills, 2 p.m.
Fontana at Banning
Hawthorne MSA at Arroyo Valley, 1 p.m.
Note: Quarterfinals May 20; Semifinals May 23; Finals May 28-30 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine.
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