When the Colts benched Anthony Richardson and went with Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback, there was talk of Richardson returning to the job at some point, but timelines were vague.

It turned out to be a two-week change of direction for the franchise. Head coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday that Richardson will start against the Jets this week and that the team plans to make this final quarterback change of the season.

Speaking to reporters later in the day, Richardson said the 2023 first-round pick reflected the impact the benching had on him.

“It just showed that I am willing to be a professional and I am willing to sacrifice whatever I have to do for the team,” Richardson said, via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. “I feel like the last two weeks have definitely opened my eyes and given me the opportunity to do that and just take a deeper dive and look inside myself and see what I’m made of. I’m grateful for the past two weeks and I’m subdued glad it happened.

Richardson said he believes there is “room for improvement everywhere” and that his immediate focus is on “showing them that I can do my job consistently day in and day out,” which makes sense given the rollercoaster performance he has had so far delivered. in his career.