The Indianapolis Colts made the decision to bench Anthony Richardson after his rough start to the 2024 season. It also probably didn't help his case that he needed a play off in last week's loss because he was tired.
With Richardson moving to the bench, Joe Flacco is set to take over, and Colts fans hope maybe this move will be enough to lead the team to the playoffs. The story is one of the biggest talking points in the NFL right now, and the hosts of Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN discussed it before Week 9's slate of games.
Tedy Bruschi and Rex Ryan disagreed over the decision to bench Richardson, with Ryan arguing that it was the correct move, and Bruschi thinking it was a mistake. Ryan said that by benching Richardson, the Colts can hopefully make a run toward the playoffs with Flacco, since the division is wide open.
Bruschi's argument was that the Colts aren't a Super Bowl team with Flacco, and if they're not playing for a Super Bowl, then what's the point of not continuing to develop Richardson? He added that the best way to develop Richardson is to play him. While I don't necessarily agree with that, he's correct in that the Colts aren't a Super Bowl team with Flacco in the lineup.
Bruschi also said that both Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen, two guys who drafted Richardson, are still with the organization, so he was baffled by the decision. He believes that if Richardson isn't playing, then he's not learning, which Ryan disagreed with. We've seen guys like Patrick Mahomes sit back and learn, and then become an incredible quarterback, so could this strategy still end up working for Richardson?
.@TedyBruschi and Rex Ryan disagree on the Colts benching Anthony Richardson 😳 pic.twitter.com/IC9wtifou8
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 3, 2024
Did the Colts make the right decision benching Anthony Richardson?
The Colts spent the fourth overall pick on Richardson only a year ago, and he played four games as a rookie before an injury ended his first year in the league. Since returning, Richardson's played in six more games, giving him 10 total as a starter before the Colts opted to bench him.
It was clear that Richardson wasn't seeing the field well during his second year in the league. The decision to bench him could have been an easier one after he took a play off due to being tired a week ago, but he also hadn't been playing sound football.
For whatever reason, the Colts felt the decision to bench Richardson right now was the correct one. We'll see if they end up being right.