Trent Richardson Didn't Travel To New England For "Personal Reasons"

As first reported by Kevin Bowen, Colts running back Trent Richardson did not travel with the team to New England for Sunday night's AFC Championship Game, for what were termed "personal reasons." There is no indication yet what those personal reasons are.

Two seasons ago the Colts traded a first round pick to the Browns for Richardson, hoping to pair him with Andrew Luck as their long-term quarterback/running back combo. But things have never quite worked out for Richardson in Indianapolis, and he was benched two months after being acquired, in favor of the guy he was supposed to replace. This season he was given another chance to make the job his, but over the second half of the season his carries diminished, with Chuck Pagano increasingly utilizing the combo of Dan Herron and Zurlon Tipton.

Richardson has performed so poorly that he didn't even play in last Sunday's divisional playoff game against the Broncos, being named inactive by Pagano. AL.com's Mark Inabinett captured the absurdity of what happened this week in reaction to that decision:

On Thursday, Richardson said that would never happen again.

On Friday, the man who decides if that does or doesn't happen again didn't second that motion.

On Sunday, the question will be moot.

Photo via Andy Lyons/Getty