Report: Colts could void Trent Richardson's contract

The Indianapolis Colts suspended running back Trent Richardson two games without pay for not contacting the team before he missed a walkthrough and flight before the Jan. 18 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, according to a report from The Indianapolis Star.

The Indianapolis Colts suspended running back Trent Richardson two games without pay for not contacting the team before he missed a walkthrough and flight before the Jan. 18 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, according to a report from TheIndianapolis Star.

The report notes that the suspension, which general manager Ryan Grigson said was handed down for "personal reasons," potentially could allow the Colts to void the final season of Richard's contract without paying him the $3.184 million in guaranteed money he was set to earn.

The reason for Richardson's absence, the report says, involves complications with his girlfriend's pregnancy that could have endangered his child's life. From the report:

These sources said the mother was experiencing contractions and appeared to be in premature labor at just 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Richardson, sources said, rushed her to the hospital in the early-morning hours of Jan. 17 — the same day the team departed for the New England game — missing that morning's walkthrough in Indianapolis and the team's chartered flight.

The report notes that Richardson has been fined for other issues this season, including missing a meeting in November and his weight.

Richardson began the season as the starter but has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry over 15 games and saw his role diminish later in the regular season, with Boom Herron seeing an increased workload.

Richardson, 23, did not play in a 24-13 win over the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs, one week before the game he missed against the Patriots. 

The Colts first acquired Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft out of Alabama, in a September 2013 trade in which they sent a first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns. Over 14 games with the Colts last season, Richardson averaged only 32.7 yards per game.

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