Fans outraged after Anthony Richardson slapped with $22,511 fine: "NFL has been robbing its players"

Last Sunday, Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts suffered a 24-6 loss to the Detroit Lions at home and squandered the chance to climb to .500 for the season. They are now 5-7 and well off the pace in the race for a spot in the playoffs.

To add insult to injury, the league fined the quarterback $22,511 for unsportsmanlike conduct. They deemed that the sophomore star intentionally lowered his helmet to use it as a weapon against Lions defensive back Brian Branch.

Fans on social media were irked about the league slapping Richardson with a hefty fine for a rather innocuous play. They voiced their frustration on X and suggested that the league was essentially stealing money from the players' pockets with their ridiculous application of the rules.

"The NFL has been robbing its players of millions of dollars every year in the name of 'safety.'"

Other fans shared their thoughts:

"So he got fined for playing football? Got it," another fan said.

Some fans argued that Branch lowered his helmet first and Richardson was simply protecting himself:

"Soooo he’s supposed to stand straight up and get his ribs broken?," asked @haydentalkss.

"You mean doing the exact same thing that Branch is doing here?," wondered @golfislife58.

"Huh? Fined for being tougher than the defender?," pondered @HtownClears

Anthony Richardson's stats show cause for concern

The Colts benched Anthony Richardson for Joe Flacco ahead of their Week 9 clash against the Minnesota Vikings. However, the change lasted only two games before Indianapolis pivoted back to the sophomore star.

He led them to a win over the New York Jets, giving them the impression that the time he spent on the bench did wonders. However, he was poor in his second game back as the starter in Week 12. He completed only 11 of his 28 pass attempts for 172 yards and rushed for 61 on 10 carries. However, some of this was due to receiver drops and penalties, which cost considerable yardage.

Anthony Richardson's struggles have been a massive cause for concern for the Colts, who are still unsure whether he has what it takes to be a franchise cornerstone. He'll have another chance to prove himself in Week 13 against the New England Patriots.

If Indianapolis loses, Flacco could be in contention to reclaim his spot as the starting quarterback.