Richardson’s Controversy: Griffin III Goes Against Grain, Supports…

When the Indianapolis Colts formally announced that Anthony Richardson was being benched in favor of Joe Flacco, it took the NFL world by storm.

Surely the Colts, who sit second in the AFC South at 4-4, weren’t ready to pull the plug on their former first-round pick after just six games, especially considering he was 3-3 for his troubles, right? Yup, after taking a three-point loss to the Houston Texans in Week 8, notable for Richardson tapping himself out of the game because he was “tired,” the Colts are doing just that, turning to a quarterback who is actually a few weeks older than their head coach.

Discussing the decision on social media, former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III revealed why the Colts had to bench Richardson, as his decision to tap out of the game effectively cost him his locker room credibility.

“He is a young player, but even young players know that that’s not okay. Or at least they should. The ultimate ramification of this decision by the Indianapolis Colts is the fact that it takes away Anthony Richardson’s credibility as a franchise future. Anyone with high-level football knowledge knew that Joe Flacco gave this team the best chance to win. The offense ran better. They moved the ball better. They scored more points. And the team has had better energy was in at quarterback. I mean the guy won a Super Bowl for a reason. Everyone knows that Joe Flacco gives the Colts the best chance to win now but they also understand Anthony Richardson gives the Colts organization the best chance to win long-term,” RGIII noted.

“So I say all of that to say that this decision was about much more than who gives them the best chance to win now. Because if that was all this was about, then Joe Flacco would have never been removed as a starter. This move was about restoring the locker room’s trust in the coach and the credibility of the organization. Because if Anthony Richardson continued to start football games after last week, Steichen would have lost the locker room and fan base.”

Would the locker room have really turned on Shane Steichen if he kept Richardson in as the starting quarterback? Debatable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his career is over, as in the opinion of RGIII, he can still have a career in Indianapolis if he makes some key adjustments to his game.