Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Anthony Richardson faced a challenging game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. In the first quarter, Richardson had to leave the game twice within a span of just four plays due to hard hits he received during designed runs. The first hit affected his hip, resulting in a fumble, and the second hit targeted his head, leading to a hip injury that required him to be escorted to the locker room. His return to the game was uncertain as team officials stated it was questionable.

Despite initial hopes of a return, Richardson did not re-enter the game, lingering on the Colts’ sideline early in the second quarter. Joe Flacco took over for Richardson during his absence and managed to make an impact by throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs, contributing to the Colts’ 14-0 lead with 2:34 left in the first quarter.

The second-year quarterback, Richardson, has faced several injury challenges since he was the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023. During his rookie season, he played in just four games before experiencing a season-ending shoulder injury, with only one of those four games seeing him finish until the end.