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Anthony Richardson was reportedly caught off guard by the Indianapolis Colts' decision to bench him heading into a matchup with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football.
According to ESPN's Stephen Holder, the Colts believed that Richardson was "lacking" in his "game preparation" as well as his understanding of the "gravity of the job." It was "more" of a factor in his benching compared to his play on the field.
"Whether such expectations were previously communicated to Richardson is less clear," Holder wrote. "Richardson was surprised by the benching, according to a source close to Richardson, because he did not realize he was falling short in this area.