What Anthony Richardson Sr. possession of marijuana charge could mean for his Colts, NFL futures

The Indianapolis Colts made headlines at the start of the workweek when team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired general manager Chris Ballard following the club's Week 6 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans.

The Colts ended the week by making more off-the-field news. 

Why Anthony Richardson Sr. is facing a possession of marijuana charge

On Friday morning, ESPN's Stephen Holder, James Boyd of The Athletic and others revealed that Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. was charged with a misdemeanor for possession of marijuana regarding a traffic stop that occurred in Carmel, Indiana, on Oct. 12.

According to Tyler Haughn of FOX59/CBS4, the license plate for the vehicle Richardson was operating "did not match its registration and...had expired." An officer noticed an "odor of marijuana" upon approaching the vehicle, and Richardson admitted to smoking and to having a "small amount of marijuana in the car." 

In September, Sam Stall of Indianapolis Monthly noted that Indiana is "one of just a handful of states that not only prohibits recreational marijuana use, but also lacks a comprehensive medical marijuana program." Via a statement shared by media outlets, the Colts said that they "are aware of the situation involving Anthony Richardson," are "currently gathering additional information" and "will have no further comment at this time."

What comes next for Anthony Richardson Sr. after this latest issue?

"While the NFL no longer suspends players for testing positive for THC," Haughn added, "Richardson may face some kind of penalty from the league, as this is a legal issue."

Richardson is in the final year of his rookie contract, and he seemingly had no long-term future with the Colts before the executive who made him the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft was fired. Additionally, some think that Colts head coach Shane Steichen could be dismissed before the season comes to an end and that a new regime could assemble an entirely different quarterback room in 2027. 

That said, playing Richardson would be an option if Steichen or an interim head coach benched starter Daniel Jones as soon as next week. However, the Colts could turn to fellow backup Riley Leonard because he is their preferred option, as a way to punish Richardson or to keep Richardson healthy for a trade that would need to be completed before the Nov. 10 deadline for such moves arrives. 

It's unclear whether the marijuana possession charge will impact how other teams view Richardson. As for the 2-4 Colts, they next play at the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings this coming Sunday. On Friday, DraftKings Sportsbook had Indianapolis as a 6.5-point underdog for that game.