Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson is now officially facing a misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge following a traffic stop earlier this month. The charge was filed Monday, adding a massive new layer to an already incredibly bumpy road for the young QB.
The Stop That Landed Him in Trouble
According to an affidavit from the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office, a police officer pulled Richardson over on October 12. Why? The car he was driving had an expired registration tag, and to make matters worse, the license plate on the car didn’t even match the one listed on the registration. Yikes. The officer apparently smelled marijuana when he walked up to the vehicle. Richardson himself acknowledged he’d been smoking inside the car, telling the officer he didn’t want to smoke around his children. He also admitted he had a “small amount” of the stuff in the car. The officer’s report says he found a “leafy, green material” he believed to be marijuana, along with a bag containing five marijuana gummies inside a small Mason jar in the car’s glove compartment. Richardson’s attorney, James Voyles, isn’t commenting, and the Colts put out a super brief statement saying they’re “aware of the situation” and “gathering additional information,” but have “no further comment at this time.” This is a mess, plain and simple.
From #4 Pick to Backup Battle, and Beyond
This legal trouble is just the latest twist in Richardson’s career, which has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency since the Colts drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023. He won the starting job right out of his first training camp, and it looked like he was on his way. But then 2023 saw him play just four games before a season-ending shoulder injury. The next year, 2024, he started 11 games, a career high, but his performance was rough, completing just 47.7% of his passes,the lowest among all NFL starters that season. He threw eight touchdown passes and a whopping 12 interceptions, and even took himself out of a game, later saying he was “tired.” Seriously?
2025 didn’t get any better. Daniel Jones snatched the starting job from him in training camp. Richardson threw a grand total of two passes in two games before suffering a fractured orbital bone near his right eye, caused by a stretching band breaking in the locker room before a game. You can’t make this stuff up. He hasn’t played a single snap since October 5, 2025, and has even made two requests to be traded. This summer, he fought for and won the No. 2 job over Riley Leonard, but Jones has taken every single snap this season after coming back from a torn right Achilles tendon he suffered last December.
A Disappointing Turn for a QB Who Wants to Prove Himself
To add even more drama to the situation, the Colts just fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard earlier this week , the same guy who drafted Richardson. Richardson said he was disappointed with the change and, honestly, who can blame him? He was looking to prove Ballard was right all along. “He believed in me enough to have me here, and I’m forever grateful for that,” Richardson said, expressing his desire to not make Ballard feel like he made the wrong call. “I’m trying to do my part and not make him feel like he made the wrong decision. So I’m just trying to keep getting better every week and am waiting on my opportunity.”
The Colts currently stand at 2-4, and with Daniel Jones holding down the starting QB spot, Richardson’s playing opportunities are already non-existent. Now, with a legal charge hanging over his head, this whole situation just got even more complicated for a career that’s been anything but smooth sailing. We’ll all be watching to see how this plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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