Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr who is the former No. 4 overall draft pick, has been charged with a misdemeanor in Carmel, Indiana. 

He was pulled over on October 12, 2026, for an expired registration, and the dual-threat playmaker reportedly told the officers that he was smoking marijuana inside his Dodge Charger to be sure that it was not near his kids. 

After a vehicle search that uncovered a very little amount of marijuana and THC gummies, Richardson had received a court summons a d not a declaration of being jailed. This added another unpredictable chapter to his rocky NFL tenure.

As per Big Lead Richardson was handcuffed while the officers searched the vehicle according to reports. During this search, they found a small mason jar containing a substance believed to be marijuana. So he not only got an expired license plate but also a misdemeanor due to the marijuana possession. 

A hearing was first scheduled for December 9. However, this hearing has apparently been stopped, and a bench trial is now expected to take place in January 2027. 

“We are aware of the situation involving Anthony Richardson and are currently gathering additional information,” the Colts said in a statement Friday. “We will have no further comment at this time.”

What did Richardson say? 

The QB did not say anything directly, but the Colts coach decided to address the matter. Shane Steichen has confirmed that Richardson will remain the team’s backup “right now,” but he refused to discuss possible punishment from the team for Richardson.

“I have conversations with all guys that have incidents,” Steichen expressed to The New York Times. “I keep those in-house. I don’t put them in the public.”

Richardson was not made available to the media. On the other hand, his agent, Deiric Jackson, stated on his client’s behalf.

“Anthony takes this matter seriously and respects the legal process,” Jackson wrote in the statement. “We ask that everyone allow the facts and legal proceedings to take their course before concluding. Anthony remains focused on his responsibilities, his family and his future!”

Richardson was at first given a citation, and he was formally charged with a Class B misdemeanor Monday. So what is a  Class B misdemeanor? Well, it is punishable by a jail sentence of up to 180 days and a fine up to $1,000, per Indiana law. Richardson had a formal hearing scheduled for Dec. 9, but it was waived, per online court records. A bench trial is now slated for Jan. 4, 2027.

His contract is guaranteed through 2027, and the Colts front office has faced a very difficult fork in the road: they have to seek potential trade partners to minimize the problems with asset value, await league discipline under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, or waive him outright to clear roster space.

Written by

Tanushree Bhowmick

Edited by

Tanushree Bhowmick