The Colts have relayed information about why they benched Anthony Richardson.

Word came Tuesday that Colts coach Shane Steichen would elevate veteran Joe Flacco to the starting quarterback role and that Richardson would be demoted for Sunday night’s game against the Vikings.

ESPN Colts reporter Stephen Holder shed some light on the team’s decision.

“They want Richardson to step back, take a break from the pressures of the job and try to grow during this time,” Holder wrote on X.

“That’s clearly different from what was said before, when the consensus was that he should play and learn on the job.”

Holder added that Richardson was “pretty devastated” by the decision.

Richardson, 22, was selected fourth overall in last year’s NFL draft out of Florida and the consensus was that he was a raw talent with plenty of upside.

He’s only had 10 NFL starts due to injuries, so he didn’t exactly get the long leash you’d expect from a franchise that had to enter the deal knowing there would be growing pains.

“We are not stopping with Anthony. That will be the story, but that is not the case,” a source told Holder.

Nevertheless, when Richardson admitted that he pulled out of last Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Texans for a brief period to catch his breath, the Colts, in addition to the habit of missing throws that would require replacement-level NFL quarterbacks would have to complete, losing the locker room if they didn’t switch to Flacco’s steady hand.

Flacco played in four games with two starts for the Colts this season, throwing for 716 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception.

Last season, the 39-year-old enjoyed a career renaissance with the Browns, joining the team from the bench midway through the season.

The Browns went 4-1 in his starts and reached the playoffs as Flacco won the AP Comeback Player of the Year.