Joe Flacco’s brief tenure under centre comes to an end as Anthony Richardson takes over as the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, continuing the quarterback carousel. Flacco took over for Weeks 9 and 10 after Richardson’s self-removal in Week 8 first sparked concerns about his leadership. Now that the quarterback position had changed again, Flacco openly evaluated his recent play. Flacco acknowledged the ongoing scrutiny that comes with playing in the NFL in a locker room exchange that James Boyd of The Athletic was able to record. Flacco expressed his dissatisfaction with the results of the previous two weeks by saying, “I think every time you take the field in this league, you’re being evaluated.”
The seasoned quarterback talked about how he felt a great deal of obligation to his teammates. He was motivated to provide his best effort as he entered a locker room full of athletes he respected. But Flacco acknowledged that he didn’t live up to his own standards. He thought, “I didn’t necessarily feel like I did that, but you want to be able to really, really hold your head high and feel like you’ve done the best for the team.”
Flacco had a bright start to his time with the Colts. He had a solid 1-1 record as a starter after filling in during Week 4 to help the team defeat the Steelers after Richardson’s injury. With seven touchdowns versus just one interception and one fumble, his first stint seemed promising.
After Richardson struggled in the Week 8 defeat to the Texans, coach Steichen decided to give him another chance because of his strong performance. Flacco’s second stint as a starter, meanwhile, wasn’t as fruitful.
His first play in Sunday’s game against the Bills ended in a pick-six, setting the tone for what would be his last start prior to Richardson’s reinstatement. This was the game-changing moment.
