Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard made a statement in his first NFL start for the Indianapolis Colts, keeping the team competitive in a 38-30 loss to the Houston Texans that closed out an unpredictable 2025 season.
Colts’ Shane Steichen, who the franchise said would return as head coach for another season in 2026, reflected on Leonard’s debut and what it means for the team’s QB1 future.
Leonard, the sixth-round pick from Notre Dame, threw 21-of-34 for 270 yards with three total touchdowns and ran for another score against the Texans in Week 18.
He connected with Alec Pierce on a 66-yard touchdown on the opening drive, found him again in the end zone before halftime, and rushed for a score early in the second half to briefly put the Colts ahead. Pierce finished with 132 yards and two touchdowns before exiting late in the third quarter on a controversial ejection.
Leonard wasn’t perfect. He threw an interception in the fourth quarter and lost a fumble on a sack — but his performance raised eyebrows, and further pushed the question of who the Colts’ long-term answer at QB might be.
Better Late Than Never for Colts and Leonard
Instead of giving him a chance while Indianapolis was still playoff-eligible, the team turned to 44-year-old Philip Rivers, who had been out of the league for five years.
Rivers threw for 544 yards and four touchdowns over three starts but went 0-3, and the Colts collapsed from 8-2 to 8-9, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
Daniel Jones, while the Colts would love to have him back, is recovering from a torn Achilles and is expected to hit free agency.
“He’s always around,” Steichen said on Sunday, per Andrew Chernoff of WISH-TV. “Still in the QB meetings. Off days, he’s in the QB room, studying the tape, preparing, even though he’s not playing.”
Anthony Richardson has consistently struggled with injuries, while Leonard’s finale performance positions him for a real shot at the starting role if the organization is ready to commit.
Steichen Frames Leonard’s Debut as Part of the Learning Process
The Colts will be busy this offseason. But the front office will also have to navigate around possessing zero first-round picks for the next two drafts.
That makes the late Leonard reassurance all the more important to Steichen and the Colts.
“I learned that he can definitely play in this league for a long time,” Steichen told reporters on Sunday. “The way he prepares, we’ve seen it all season. To get out there and do it against a top defense like he did.. was pretty impressive.”
Leonard provided a rare bright spot in a season that swung from a 7-1 start to a seven-game losing streak.
“Just the way he managed the game,” Steichen said. “He was calm, he’s a competitor. Great plays with his legs when he had to. Just a lot of good things.”
The disappointment of what was once a potential title-contending campaign won’t fade quickly; a playoff drought of this length never does.
But the rookie’s potential and the Colts’ quarterback future will certainly be a topic that will dominate the offseason as Indianapolis searches for stability in 2026.
Shane Steichen on Colts’ QB Future After Riley Leonard’s ‘Impressive’ Debut