Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson briefly exited Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. Although the reasons for his departure were unknown at the time, Richardson said in a post-match press conference that he was “tired.”
“Tired, I’m not going to lie,” Richardson said. “What I did was run a lot and I didn’t think I was going to be able to go to the next play. So I told (HC Shane Steichen) I needed a break right there.”
#foals Quarterback Anthony Richardson on leaving the game for a play in the 3Q:
“Tired, I’m not going to lie. What I did was run a lot and I didn’t think I would be able to go to the next play. So I told (HC Shane Steichen) I needed a break right there.” pic.twitter.com/EMUtiSLIvm
-James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) October 27, 2024
Just before leaving the field, Richardson fell awkwardly during a scramble in the third quarter and was sacked by Texans linebacker Jake Hensen. He then knelt down and tapped his helmet to indicate that it needed to be replaced.
Backup quarterback Joe Flacco took Richardson’s place and took over on a third-down play in the third quarter. Although the conversion was unsuccessful, the play resulted in a 37-yard field goal by Colts kicker Matt Gay.
Richardson had a dismal first half against the Texans, completing just two of 15 passes and gaining 81 yards. One of those two endings was a 69 yard open touchdown to wide receiver Josh Downs.
With less than a minute left before halftime, Richardson threw a costly interception to Houston safety Jalen Pitre, putting the Texans in Indianapolis territory. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud made light work of the possession, throwing to receiver Tank Dell for the touchdown and giving Houston a 17-10 lead heading into halftime.
Despite his struggles, Richardson remained on the field as the starting quarterback in the second half. He finished 10 of 32 passing for 175 yards.
The Colts scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to pull within one score of the Texans. A Stroud fumble recovered by Indianapolis gave the Colts a chance to score, but the team was forced to punt. The Colts had one more possession, but Richardson was sacked and fumbled as time expired, sealing Houston’s 23-20 victory.
With the loss, Indianapolis is 4-4 so far this season.
