Shane Steichen gives sobering update on season-long outlook for Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen has finally broken his silence on the team's decision to bench quarterback Anthony Richardson in favor of veteran QB Joe Flacco, almost 24 hours after the shocking news leaked to the media.

In a brief statement, Steichen said that Richardson's benching is not temporary, and that he made the decision on his own. Allegedly, the now-notorious decision by Richardson to tap out due to being tired was not a factor; instead, Steichen merely believes Flacco will give the Colts the best chance to be successful through the rest of the 2024 season.

"I'm just looking where we're at as a football team, sitting at .500 with a lot of football left, and feel that Joe gives us the best chance going forward," he said.

The decision to bench Richardson in favor of Flacco has been roundly criticized by most analysts as short-sighted.

Yes, Flacco gives the Colts the most opportunity for immediate gratification. At 39, Flacco is still performing capably, if not at any extraordinary level. He has also undeniably performed better than Richardson has. Yet the reality is, Flacco is not a long-term solution to the Colts' ongoing quarterback problems. Flacco will not be playing for the Colts next season, and that leads to the issue of who will lead the franchise next year and beyond. Richardson was supposed to be the future, and fans were preached patience through the process of developing his incredibly raw talent. Instead, the Colts are evidently content to ride the quarterback carousel of mediocrity once again.

Interestingly, James Boyd - who covers the Colts for the Athletic - asked Steichen during the press conference if the rest of the locker room supports this decision, and Steichen's answer was that he "can't speak for our team." As fans overwhelmingly responded, it is literally the job of the head coach to speak for the team... so either he is well aware that the team does not support this decision, or he is completely out of touch with how his players are feeling, and neither is a particularly good look for this troubled team.