The Colts made another quarterback change on Wednesday when they reversed course from two weeks ago by benching Joe Flacco and returning Anthony Richardson to the starting lineup.
When Flacco was elevated to the starting lineup, the explanation was that he would give the team their best chance to win games. Flacco threw four interceptions and two touchdowns while losing two fumbles in back-to-back losses, however, and that opened the door for the 2023 first-round pick to take over the No. 1 job.
After the news was announced, Flacco spoke to reporters from the Colts facility and said he hoped to “provide a spark” to the offense when he became the starter but “wasn’t able to do it.”
“I really do feel disappointed in the way the last couple of weeks went,” Flacco said. “When you walk into this locker room, you want to be able to really, really hold your head high and feel like you’ve done the best for the team. And I didn’t necessarily feel like I did that.”
Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that the plan is for Richardson to be the starter for the rest of the season, so it seems unlikely that they will turn back to Flacco for any reason other than injury. Richardson’s brief NFL history suggests that’s a real possibility, however, and Flacco’s longer history suggests there may be another twist or two left before he’s out of the NFL for good.
