Trent Richardson’s surprising absence from the AFC Championship Game is because of a family medical emergency, according to reports.
Richardson missed a walk-through Saturday and didn’t travel with the team to New England for Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots. The running back explained his absence in an interview with ESPN.com.
“I had to miss walk-through,” Richardson said Sunday. “I’m dealing with a very serious family emergency. I’m still at the hospital. I wouldn’t purposely just miss walk-through.”
It’s unclear what the exact issue is, but Richardson insisted he’s not betraying his teammates.
“I wouldn’t just purposely turn my back on the team,” he told ESPN.com “I would have been there if I wasn’t dealing with this issue.”
Richardson’s tenure with the Colts has been checkered, to say the least. The Colts acquired him from the Cleveland Browns for a first-round draft pick in September 2013, but he has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that come when you’re acquired for such a high price. The low point appeared to come last week, when Richardson was inactive for the Colts’ divisional-round matchup with the Denver Broncos.
Thumbnail photo via Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports Images
