Too harsh? Shane Steichen benches Anthony Richardson for the “rest of the season” after he tapped out against the Texans

Anthony Richardson has struggled to get into rhythm this season and has been outperformed by veteran Joe Flacco.

Too harsh? Shane Steichen benches Anthony Richardson for the “rest of the season” after he tapped out against the Texans

Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco (Image Credits: L-via IMAGO, R-via Open Source/Reddit)

On Sunday, a line from Eminem’s iconic song Lose Yourself was relevant to two quarterbacks in the league, Jameis Winston and Anthony Richardson. “You only get one shot, do not miss a chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime,” applied to both. While the former took full advantage of the opportunity and proved himself, the latter wound up blowing his position as the starting QB of the Colts.

Anthony Richardson was benched by Indianapolis Colts HC Shane Steichen as revealed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The decision came days after the quarterback found himself amid controversy for leaving the field during a third and long drive because he was “out of breath.” Richardson’s decision did not sit well with NFL veterans and the likes of Pat McAfee, Shannon Sharpe, and Ben Roethlisberger went in on him for leaving the offense hanging.

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The decision was made by Shane Steichen and owner Jim Irsay had no say in this. It is to be presumed that veteran Joe Flacco will lead the Colts’ offense moving forward and Richardson will serve as backup while learning from him. It is not a shocking decision considering the young quarterback’s performance this season.

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Anthony Richardson had made 2-15 throws at halftime during Sunday’s matchup against the Texans

The 23-year-old quarterback has 958 yards for 4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions this season. His QBR is 38.4 and he is ranked 27th in the league. Apart from struggling to stay healthy, Anthony Richardson has not produced at the level that the Colts have expected him to.

Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson (Image via IMAGO)

In 3 games, veteran Joe Flacco has played significantly better having thrown for 716 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Richardson’s benching points to a bigger problem in the NFL. The premature benching of young quarterbacks.

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The likes of Bryce Young, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Will Leis, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, and Kenny Pickett, all of whom entered the NFL as highly-rated prospects with bright futures find themselves sitting on the sidelines. The league is facing a quarterback development problem with these young athletes being thrust onto the biggest stage after a year or two in college.

The transition from college football to the league is a huge leap. While a handful of quarterbacks have been able to complete this transition, that is not the case with most of them.

The greatest quarterbacks in the NFL started by taking notes from veterans. The likes of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Tony Romo, and Steve McNair prove that being benchwarmers in the first two years of entering the NFL prepares them better for when they are actually thrust into the game.

The most recent examples would be Jordan Love and Patrick Mahomes. Love spent his rookie season on the bench but when it was time for him to step up, he managed to lead the Packers to the playoffs in his first year as the starter. The same goes with Mahomes, who was backup to Alex Smith in his rookie season.

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Anthony Richardson’s season appears to have come to an end abruptly but if anything, it will serve as a great opportunity for him to learn from Joe Flacco. Playing in the NFL is a marathon, not a sprint, and if longevity and consistency are what Richardson wants then he will take this benching in stride. Shane Steichen confirmed that the quarterback leaving abruptly last week was not the reason for this decision but it was in the best interest of the team.