Former NFL player calls out Colts coaches after Anthony Richardson injury

Monday morning hit, and Indianapolis Colts fans were still holding their breath.

Despite the Colts coming away with a Week 4 victory and handing the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss of the season, the win came with a price.

Early in this one, quarterback Anthony Richardson exited the game with an apparent hip injury. At first, it didn't appear to be all that serious, as the second-year pro was able to return just moments later. But then, Richardson exited once again after getting hit on a called quarterback run play.

Almost immediately after Richardson left the game due to injury a second time, one former NFL player took to social media in order to react. Emmanuel Acho, once a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, reacted to the happenings by calling out the Colts' coaching staff:

"I can’t believe the Colts coaches did this.

Anthony Richardson left the game with a hip injury, at the mark. He returns, limping, 2 minutes later, and the very first play is a QB run!!

Richardson, again gets hurt, and leaves the game to the locker room."

Surely, Acho couldn't have been the only one thinking these things after watching Richardson leave the game and not return. It just doesn't make any sense. Your quarterback gets hurt, and it's a hip injury nonetheless, yet you trot him right back out there and call a run play for him?

In what world does that make a lick of sense, outside of the selfish mind of one head coach Shane Steichen?

Harsh words, sure. But, go ahead and find a reasonable argument as to why it's the wrong take. I'll wait.

The Colts might soon have a decision to make at quarterback

While we've already pointed this out, it's worth mentioning again until we get some clarity on the Richardson injury. The Colts very well could have a quarterback controversy brewing.

Following Richardson's exit, veteran Joe Flacco stepped in for the Colts, and was able to lead this team to victory. Not only was he able to help the team win, but Flacco operated the offense effectively as he threw a pair of touchdowns and finished with a QBR 30 points higher than Richardson on the day.

Sure, Richardson gave a small sample size before exiting, but the offense looked perfectly fine under Flacco's reign.

What will the Colts do should Richardson be good to go for Week 5?

On first thought, that would be a huge positive. Without digging too much into a quarterback controversy, the hope here is that Richardson is, indeed, going to be O.K.

But, if he's not? That's where the decision is already made and it becomes easy. Flacco is capable of leading this team. That's a positive.

Yet, again, we're talking about the franchise quarterback here in Richardson, who still has plenty of developing to do. There are a lot of layers to this, whether it's Richardson being "injury-prone" or his career getting off to a rocky start after entering the league already not having a ton of starting experience.

For starters, hopefully Richardson winds up being fine and the injury is nothing serious. That's where we'll leave it, for now.