Colts' Richardson grateful to be back in action: 'Still here for my guys'
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is grateful he got an opportunity to show his growth from his short time on the sidelines in Sunday's 28-27 win over the New York Jets.
"Just (wanted to) show that my hard work and preparation is still there. I'm still here for my guys," Richardson told CBS's AJ Ross postgame.
Richardson completed 20 of 30 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown versus the Jets. He also rushed for two touchdowns, including a go-ahead TD with 51 seconds left in regulation to snap Indianapolis' three-game losing streak.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen benched Richardson for the past two games to reportedly give the second-year quarterback a wake-up call, replacing him with veteran Joe Flacco. However, the 2023 No. 4 overall pick said earlier this week that he was "low-key glad" the club benched him and that it opened his eyes to improvements he needed.
Steichen said Wednesday that Richardson would remain the Colts' starting quarterback for the rest of the season when announcing the 22-year-old's return to the No. 1 role.
"Is he a finished product? No," Steichen said Wednesday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "But we've got a lot of faith that he's going to be our franchise quarterback."
The Colts look to continue their win streak against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions next Sunday.