Published October 26, 2026 06:03 AM
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was arrested last week for marijuana possession — presumably without taking a plutonium-powered Delorean back to 1955.
The Colts, as explained by James Boyd of The Athletic, made Richardson available to speak to reporters after Sunday’s loss at Minnesota.
Via Boyd, Richardson was asked whether he regrets the incident.
“I enjoy life,” Richardson said. “I don’t really regret a lot of things I do. I appreciate my life. I appreciate God waking me up every morning.”
Richardson also said this about the incident, per Stephen Holder of ESPN: “I know my character, God knows my character, my family knows me. So I don’t need to explain anything else.”
Given the widespread legalization of marijuana possession and use in 2026, Richardson has no general reason to believe that possessing or using marijuana reflects poorly on his character. More specifically, however, the arrest exposes him to discipline under the substance-abuse policy.
From Section 2.3 of the policy: “Absent aggravating circumstances, discipline for a first offense will be a suspension without pay for up to four (4) regular and/or post-season games.”
It sounds ridiculous in this day and age, but Indiana has yet to join the many states that have abandoned outdated marijuana laws (except, apparently, while smoking it on the air during a TV show originating there). Now, unless Richardson avoids a conviction, a guilty plea, a no-contest plea, or a diversion program arising from the incident, Richardson will eventually be facing a four-game suspension and the significant loss of revenue coming from it.
Because, again, players who are suspended lose 100 percent of their income during the suspension — unlike owners. If Richardson’s case isn’t resolved until 2027 (a bench trial was set for January 4), and if he signs somewhere next year even for the league minimum based on his experience of $1.26 million, he’ll lose $280,000.
Hopefully, the next CBA will be further tweaked to eliminate this provision from the substance-abuse policy. It’s outdated, it’s onerous, and it creates bizarre outcomes where players who have no control over where they’re drafted are subject to the inconsistencies of the laws in the state where the late-April sorting hat has sent them to reside.