Former NFL MVP blasts Colts' Anthony Richardson after benching, 'tired' controversy

Long before Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson admitted to taking himself out of a game because he was "tired," he interestingly said this past offseason he felt playing in the NFL is "easier than college." 

During the latest edition of his "4th & 1" program, former NFL signal-caller and one-time Most Valuable Player Cam Newton blasted Richardson after Colts head coach Shane Steichen benched the second-year pro in favor of veteran Joe Flacco.

"Bro, you’re in the big leagues now," Newton said about Richardson, as Arthur Weinstein of Awful Announcing shared. "A lot of guys are in college and they’re thinking like, 'Oh man bro, I’m going to dominate.' No, you just think you’re going to do what Lamar Jackson does, you just think you’re going to do what Peyton Manning and Tom Brady do." 

While numerous members of the NFL community believe Steichen benched Richardson largely because the signal-caller tapped himself out for a play during last Sunday's 23-20 loss at the Houston Texans that dropped the Colts to 4-4 on the season, few would argue that the 22-year-old hardly impressed with his performances this fall. Per Pro Football Reference, Richardson began Friday ranked last in the NFL among qualified players with a 57.2 passer rating, a 44.4% completion percentage and a 32.4 passing success rate on the campaign. 

"This game is not easy," Newton continued during the segment. "…I had to have the endurance of a wide receiver. I also had to have the physical attributes of a running back. But I also had to have the mental wherewithal of a quarterback."

Steichen said earlier this week that Flacco will be his QB1 "going forward." That suggests Richardson will remain a spectator for some time as long as Flacco stays healthy and plays like a QB1 capable of winning games. 

As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Flacco-led Colts as five-point underdogs for Sunday's matchup at the 5-2 Minnesota Vikings. 

"You’re a professional," Newton added about Richardson. "You don’t get to say that s---. That’s the easy way. You don’t get to say that. You don’t get to say playing in the NFL is f------ easy and you’re doing that s---like that…Your inexperience has shown, and now you’ve been held to that and now you’re on the bench."