Colts Officially Rule Out Anthony Richardson for Week 17 Playoff Decider

At aged 19, quarterback Joe Flacco will still be playing meaningful football.

Anthony Richardson has officially been downgraded to out due to both back and foot soreness, per Ian Rapoport.

“The #Colts will start QB Joe Flacco Sunday, with Anthony Richardson battling back and foot soreness this week. He did not practice all week and has been downgraded to out,” Rapoport said.

Flacco, the reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year award winner, will be getting the start for the Indianapolis Colts against the New York Giants on Sunday in a must-win game.

Richardson had a questionable designation and did not participate in practice throughout this week. Colts head coach Shane Steichen waited to rule out his starting quarterback on Friday.

“We’ll see how the next 48 hours go,” Steichen said.

Richardson has been hampered with several health issues this season. He missed two games in October because of a hip injury he sustained in Week 4, allowing the door open for Flacco to win 27-24 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and two weeks later versus the Tennessee Titans, 20-17.

Flacco returned to the starting gig in Weeks 9 and 10 after Richardson’s lackluster play resulted in getting benched. Steichen pivoted back to Richardson after back-to-back losses to the stingy Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills.

The journeyman has posted a 66.5% completion rate and has thrown for 1,167 total yards and nine touchdowns throughout six appearances.

The Colts’ playoff chances are not in their own hands. They could be eliminated before Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff if both the Los Angeles Chargers and the Denver Broncos win their respective games on Saturday.

Other than needing to win out their remaining two games against the Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is plausible, the Colts need one of either the Chargers or Broncos to lose out.

Flacco is fresh off having led the Cleveland Browns into the wild-card round last season. He signed with the Colts in March to backup Richardson and after becoming the team starter twice ever since, returning to the bench in early November after Richardson made strides in practice to reclaim the role.

“You have to trick yourself a little bit and just roll with the punches and see where those take you,” Flacco said. “You really can’t get things in your mind that it’s going to be a certain way. You never know.”

Flacco spoke on Friday about his mindset of potentially starting heading into the weekend.

“I think we’re just gonna see how these next couple days play out,” Flacco said. “For me, at least, you’re able to go out there and get some practice reps that make you feel a little more comfortable going into gameday.”

More news: Dolphins Could Be Without Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle vs Browns

For more on the Dolphins, head to Newsweek Sports.