Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen said he was “evaluating” the quarterback situation given Anthony Richardson’s recent struggles, but the coach hinted that Richardson’s surprise decision to sit out Sunday’s game for one play at the end of the third quarter , will not be a factor in his decision making.

Richardson went 10 for 32 for 175 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans, and the team’s offensive woes have prompted Steichen to take a closer look ahead of Sunday night’s game at Minnesota.

“We evaluate everything,” Steichen said when asked if Richardson would start in this game.

When asked if Richardson was still the team’s starter, Steichen said: “Right now, today, he is, yes.”

Joe Flacco, the Colts’ 39-year-old backup, went 1-1 in his two starts this season while Richardson rehabbed an oblique injury.

Richardson showed promise in four starts last season, but landed on injured reserve and missed 12 games after shoulder surgery. However, his 44.4% completion rate this season is 15 points below his rookie year completion rate and is the fifth-worst in the first six games of a season by a player since 2000, according to ESPN Research.

Steichen’s comments came a day after Richardson inexplicably withdrew from Sunday’s game because he was “tired” after two consecutive one-play contests.

Flacco entered the game while Richardson was out and handed off to running back Jonathan Taylor before the Colts settled for a field goal on fourth down.

Richardson said after the game that he told Steichen he “needed a break right there” as he left the game and tapped his helmet.

“I was tired,” he said Sunday. “I won’t lie. That was a lot of racing. I didn’t think I would be at the next game.”

On Monday, Steichen did not defend Richardson’s decision.

“We had a conversation about this in the quarterback room this morning that I’m keeping private,” Steichen said. “But of course you can’t let yourself go in situations like this, which he knows in deals like this, and that’s a learned experience for him that he has to grow from.”

Center Ryan Kelly, the longest-serving Colts player on the current roster, also had a conversation with Richardson.

“I think he knows it’s not the standard he has to live up to and that the rest of the team is striving for,” Kelly said. “And I’ll leave the conversation we had at that. I am sure that he will rightly take the criticism for this. I mean, it looks hard and harsh. But he’s out there giving everything for himself.” Team and sometimes it’s not always pretty.

“He gives everything for his teammates. He is young. I’m sure it’s a learning moment for him.”

Before substituting the game, Richardson had made impressive plays on the previous two plays. On the play immediately before his exit, he shook off defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi with one arm as the defender tried to pull Richardson to the ground.

Steichen and the Colts have repeatedly insisted that Richardson needs consistent playing time to develop. He has started just 10 games since being the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft.

When asked about his current view of that philosophy, Steichen seemed less adamant.

“I think it could go either way,” Steichen said. “There are certain (teams) that throw guys into the fire early and others that let them sit back and watch. Like I said before, the more you play, the more you learn at this position. But is there an advantage? Sometimes you can sit back and watch it? Yes, of course there is.

According to several teammates, Richardson’s confidence hasn’t been affected by his struggles. They also said they needed to do more to alleviate his problems, which were exacerbated by poor receiver play on Sunday. Richardson was hurt by a dropped touchdown pass and another where a receiver failed to get in the game.

“It’s a difficult position. I think he’s handling it well,” receiver Alec Pierce said of Richardson. “It’s definitely a lot of pressure and I just want to let him know that we’re all behind him and we’re here for him and we’re going to get better.”