The Colts have shared information about why they benched Anthony Richardson.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Colts coach Shane Steichen would promote veteran Joe Flacco to the starting quarterback role and that Richardson would be demoted for Sunday night's game against the Vikings.

ESPN Colts reporter Stephen Holder shed light on the team's decision.

“They want Richardson to take a step back, take a break from the pressures of the job and try to grow during this time,” Holder wrote on X.

“This is obviously different from what was said before when it was agreed that he should play and learn at work.”

Holder added that Richardson was “pretty devastated” by the decision.

The 22-year-old Richardson was selected fourth overall in last year's NFL draft out of Florida and the consensus was that he was a raw talent with great potential.

He only made ten NFL starts in his career due to injuries, so he wasn't exactly given the long leash you'd expect from a franchise that must have made the deal knowing there would be growing pains.

“We are not giving up on Anthony. That will be the story, but that is not the case,” a source told Holder.

Still, the Colts risked defeat when Richardson admitted he was taking a short break from last Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Texans and also had a habit of missing throws that backup NFL quarterbacks were supposed to make locker room if they didn't switch to the steady hand of Flacco.

Flacco appeared in four games with two starts for the Colts this season, throwing for 716 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception.

Last season, the 39-year-old experienced a career renaissance with the Browns when he joined the team from the couch midway through the season.

The Browns started 4-1 and made the playoffs as Flacco was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year.