Joe Flacco

Colts head coach Shane Steichen said QB Joe Flacco will be the team’s starter “going forward.”

In other words, this is not a temporary benching for Anthony Richardson, who has struggled mightily throughout his second pro season, with only three QBs posting a lower drop back success rate. Steichen said the team would not give up on Richardson, though it appears his 2024 season is over unless Flacco misses time. Asked if Richardson would ever again start for the Colts, Steichen said, “That would be great. We’ll see.” Flacco will provide a major boost to everyone in the Indy offense. An NFL personnel evaluator told The Athletic this week that the Colts would need to take a long-term approach to developing Richardson, 22. “It’s really hard to develop a quarterback who is so far behind in learning to play the position that he’s in frantic mode all the time,” the personnel evaluator said. “This kid is truly a project more than a developmental player.”