Well, Indy, it’s official. The season finale against the Jaguars (4-12) won’t feature QB1 Anthony Richardson. Foot injury? Back injury? Call it a double whammy. So, you know what that means. It’s Joe Flacco time—again.

Head coach Shane Steichen didn’t sugarcoat it: “Didn’t make enough progress.” And just like that, the Colts’ Sophomore sensation will miss his second straight game.

The veteran QB will take the reins in week 18, bringing his steady (if unspectacular) hand to the offense. Sure, Flacco’s not the future, but he’s here to bridge the gap while Richardson heals up.

And let’s face it, Flacco starting in January wasn’t exactly on anyone’s Colts bingo card this season, was it? Richardson hasn’t practiced since week 16, and he sat out last week’s loss to the Giants where Flacco threw for 2 TDs and 2 INTs over 330 YDs.

It’s been a tough end to what started as a promising rookie campaign. But hey, it’s better to sit him now and let him heal than risk a setback in a game that, let’s be honest, doesn’t carry much weight.

Anthony Richardson to redeem himself in 2025?

So, Colts fans, it looks like the Anthony Richardson experiment isn’t over yet. Despite a rocky sophomore year, the Colts are sticking with their QB1. According to The Athletic’s Zak Keefer and James Boyd, the team plans to keep Richardson under center in 2025, banking on his continued growth.

“For now,” they reported, “the Colts plan to keep Richardson under center in 2025 in hopes he continues to develop.” Hope might not be a strategy, but hey, it’s a start. Let’s be real—Richardson’s second year was rough. Completing just 47.7% of his passes with 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 picks isn’t exactly Pro Bowl material.

Sure, he added 499 rushing yards and six scores, but the inconsistency (and those interceptions) made for some painful Sundays. And then there’s the injury bug. The whispers around Richardson’s readiness have been loud. One NFL evaluator called him “a good kid but naïve to what it takes to be a pro QB.” Another pointed to his preparation—or lack thereof. But the Colts aren’t ready to pull the plug. Sure, his inaccuracy raised eyebrows, and that infamous “tired” comment after tapping out against the Texans didn’t win him any fans.

Still, the team believes there’s potential buried under those growing pains. Is it blind faith? Maybe, just maybe, they see something we don’t… For now, Richardson gets another shot at redemption in 2025. The Colts are betting on their young QB to figure it out. I mean, even Peyton Manning saw it in AR when he said, “Never take being the starting QB for granted… Getting the snaps in is important.”

So, hoping that Richardson does get those snaps and stands true to the legend’s words because there’s only limited patience in a fanbase.