The Indianapolis Colts will return Anthony Richardson as their starting quarterback beginning with Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday.

Steichen said Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, would remain the starter for the rest of the season.

The move comes two days after Steichen said veteran Joe Flacco would start the game at MetLife Stadium.

Flacco has started the Colts’ last two games in place of Richardson, and Indianapolis has lost both. Flacco, 39, committed six turnovers (four interceptions, two fumbles) in the losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills.

The Colts (4-6) benched Richardson, 22, in late October after a game against the Houston Texans, where he asked to come out of the game for one play because, as he later told reporters, “he was tired ‘.

Steichen said that while he spoke with owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard, it was ultimately his decision to return Richardson to the starting role.

“We made it very clear to him that he is our starting quarterback.”

Steichen also said he was pleased with what he saw from Richardson over the past two weeks.

“It’s the attention to detail in everything he does,” Steichen said. “It has to be a higher level. Over the last two weeks he has made progress in those areas.”

Field Level Media contributed to this report.