When the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts completed their blockbuster trade sending 2012 No. 3 overall pick Trent Richardson to Indy for a first-round draft pick, news traveled fast.
So fast, in fact, that many football fans knew Richardson had been dealt before he did. Apparently head coach Rob Chudzinski and CEO Joe Banner neglected to inform their former best player that he would be on the move.
In a radio interview, ironically, Richardson said that he found out through the radio that he was headed to the Colts.
"Yeah, I found out on the radio," Richardson said. "Actually, one of my friends called me. He was like, 'You got traded?' I was like, 'Man, shut up talking to me. Get off my phone.' I turned on the radio, and all of a sudden I heard, 'Cleveland Browns running back has been traded to the Colts.' It just hit me in my face like I can't believe ... I didn't see it coming. I had good relations with everybody. I guess it's the best for the Browns. At the end of the day, it's the best move for both of us, I guess. I want to be a Brown. I didn't see it coming, but at the same time, I'm a Colt now, so I got to move on get ready for Sunday's game."
Former Browns head coach and general manager Mike Holmgren has gone on record shredding the deal. Holmgren told NFL.com, "How do you make your team better by trading your best player? He's the best offensive player. He's a valuable, valuable guy." Holmgren traded up in the 2012 draft to nab the powerful rusher third overall behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
The ex-coach said if he was still n Cleveland and that move was being forced upon him, he'd have no choice but to resign. "I'd shake hands and walk. I would," he said. "Because if I disagreed with it vehemently, and I couldn't buy in, I mean, I'm not saying I'm right, I'm saying that's what I would do, because you have to be true to yourself in this business."
Holmgren also said he fears for the team's chemistry and morale after such a devastating blow was self-inflicted on the offense.
"You can't tell me some of those players aren't asking some of the questions you and I are asking," he said. "They were friends with (Richardson). It's too wild. This sort of thing doesn't happen, and it happened, so asking questions about it would be natural."
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