Colts reverse course, make Anthony Richardson their starting QB

Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Sunday and Monday that Joe Flacco would start at quarterback against the Jets on Sunday, but he revealed a new plan during his press conference on Wednesday.

Steichen told reporters that Anthony Richardson will start against the Jets and that the team plans to keep him in the starting lineup for the rest of the season. Given Steichen’s past comments, he was asked if conversations with team owner Jim Irsay or General Manager Chris Ballard led him to change his mind about moving the 2023 first-round pick back into the starting lineup.

“I talked to Jim. I talked to Chris. But, ultimately, this was my decision,” Steichen said, via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan.

When the Colts benched Richardson a couple of weeks ago, Steichen said that Flacco gave the team its best chance to win but two bad performances in two Colts losses made that a tougher sell than taking lumps while trying to develop Richardson into the long-term answer at the position. That process will begin in earnest with Wednesday’s practice and the Colts’ outlook for the future will have a lot to do with how it unfolds.