Indianapolis, IN — The Indianapolis Colts are turning to rookie quarterback Riley Leonard in their final game of the season against the Houston Texans, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. After three games of the Philip Rivers off the couch experiment, a last-ditch effort that provided a good story if nothing else, it’s the rookie’s time to shine.
“If I go back and say, ‘Now you know everything that’s gonna happen, what would you do?’ I’d do it all again…I got three bonus games that I never saw coming, and I couldn’t be more grateful,” Philip Rivers said in his postgame availability following the loss to Jacksonville.
Although the Colts were eliminated from playoff contention heading into their Week 17 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they still chose to start the 44-year-old veteran quarterback, likely due to their game plan in place, as well as providing Rivers and the Colts fans in attendance one last hoorah before he ultimately retires from the game (again). Leonard did appear in Indy’s loss to the Jaguars, replacing Rivers for the game’s final play, a Hail Mary heave that only he could get to the end zone, ultimately throwing an interception.
Riley Leonard was drafted in the 6th round (189th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft after leading Notre Dame to a National Championship appearance. He has appeared in four games as a rookie, going 18-33 (54.5%) for 145 passing yards and 2 interceptions through the air, being sacked once, and adding 6 rushing yards and one touchdown on 3 attempts as a rusher.
This season finale against the Texans is about as meaningless as it gets, given the outlook and the subsequent state of the organization, but at least there’s an opportunity to see if the rookie quarterback will be sticking around as part of the franchise’s long-term development plan. It’ll be against one of the best defenses in recent history, but an opportunity nonetheless.
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