Colts QB Anthony Richardson Told Police He Smoked in His Car to Avoid Smoking Around His Kids

Sports admin October 23, 2026 0 Comments

Colts QB Anthony Richardson Told Police He Smoked in His Car to Avoid Smoking Around His Kids

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. told a Carmel police officer he smoked marijuana in his car so he wouldn’t do it in front of his children, according to court documents obtained by FOX59/CBS4. Richardson now faces a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession, filed Monday, Oct. 19.

That filing came the same day the Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard, the man who drafted Richardson fourth overall in 2023, after a home loss to the previously winless Titans.

What police say they found

The stop happened Oct. 12, when an officer pulled over a black 2023 Dodge Charger with an expired registration near Springmill Boulevard and Silver Stream Drive, a stretch of Carmel plenty of north-side commuters know well. The officer reported noticing the “odor of marijuana” while walking up to the car. Asked about the smell, Richardson said he had smoked in the vehicle and had a small amount of marijuana with him, according to the documents.

Richardson got out and was placed in handcuffs while the officer searched the car. Police reported finding a small mason jar holding a substance believed to be marijuana and an open bag of THC-infused gummies.

He was also cited for the expired registration and agreed to appear in Carmel City Court on a summons. No statement from the Colts or Richardson’s camp had surfaced as of Friday morning.

Richardson has spent the 2026 season as Daniel Jones’ backup, a role Shane Steichen gave him in September, months after he requested a trade. “I’m thankful they believe in me enough to promote me to QB2,” Richardson said at the time. A Colts insider said this week Indianapolis is unlikely to bench Jones despite the 2-4 start.

Richardson is in the final year of his rookie contract, and his name was already circulating in trade talk ahead of the deadline. Whoever Carlie Irsay-Gordon hires next will inherit that decision, along with this case.

More on the Indianapolis Colts

Grover Stewart Reveals What He Always Told Chris Ballard, the GM Who Took a Chance on Him
DeForest Buckner Won’t Shut the Door on a Trade as Rival Teams Circle the 2-4 Colts
Three Red Flags and Two Reasons for Hope for the Colts vs. the Vikings in Week 7
Teams Are Calling About Jonathan Taylor, and the Colts’ Next Two Games May Decide His Future

This story was originally published October 23, 2026 at 9:46 AM.