The Indianapolis Colts likely never thought that the end of their 2025 season would see quarterback Riley Leonard starting. Maybe if the team had hoped it was going to easily be entrenched in the playoffs with no seeding at risk. After all, the sixth-round 2025 draft pick wasn't supposed to be anything more than QB3.
Injuries took a toll on the team overall, though, and especially at the quarterback position. Starter Daniel Jones was lost in Week 14 after tearing his Achilles tendon while playing with a fractured fibula in his other leg. Backup Anthony Richardson broke an orbital bone in Week 6 warmups in a freakish accident.
The team signed long-retired Philip Rivers after Jones was hurt instead of risking trusting Leonard to start when the team still had a small chance of making the postseason. Rivers wasn't bad, but the team couldn't win. Before Week 18, Rivers retired as the team was ready to start Leonard in a meaningless game.
Major observations from Colts' Riley Leonard's performance against the Texans
Still, Riley Leonard had a chance to prove against the elite Houston Texans defense that he belonged on the Colts' roster for the foreseeable future. He seemingly didn't have much of a chance to succeed, just as Rivers wouldn't have. Leonard's play gave the team an indication of how it should view him moving forward.
It took one drive for Riley Leonard to make the Colts look somewhat foolish
With Rivers as the quarterback, the offense was limited in what it could do. Rivers had little arm strength and zero ability to run. Leonard has a stronger arm and more mobility (than Rivers has ever had), but not the experience or mind of Rivers (few quarterbacks ever have).
In Indy's first drive against the Texans, though, and after running back Jonathan Taylor had been rather stuffed, Shane Steichen called a deep pass from Leonard to wide receiver Alec Pierce. Pierce had beaten his defender, as he often does, and the quarterback hit him for a 66-yard touchdown.
It was the kind of play that the Colts would have never tried with Rivers, and smartly should not have. However, the issue is that it showed what Leonard is capable of, and Rivers was not. Those who argued Leonard should have started with Rivers as his backup had all the fuel they seemingly needed.
Riley Leonard's ball control is an issue (though maybe not a massive worry)
With his team trailing 13-10, and the Colts backed up inside their own 20-yard line, Leonard dropped back to pass, was under great duress. He attempted a pass, but had his arm hit. He attempted to hold onto the ball but lost control of the ball, resulting in a fumble that was recovered by the Texans at the Indy 1-yard line.
What is easy to forget is that Leonard is a rookie quarterback who hasn't played much. He might have much better ball control if he were getting regular reps. What is also important to remember is that in his final year of college at Notre Dame, Leonard didn't lose any fumbles. In other words, coughing up the ball is not a problem he has suffered from for a long time.
Still, should he ever need to be QB1 again, he must have better awareness of how close pass rushers are to him and have better control of the ball. When his arm was hit, the ball was too loose. With more experience, he would have better awareness.
Anthony Richardson might be unnecessary for the Indianapolis Colts
Richardson was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, failed in his first two seasons when given a chance to start, and was benched in favor of Daniel Jones ahead of the 2025 season. He is under contract for one more season, and the Colts have a fifth-round option on him.
Leonard proved in Week 18 that Richardson should be trade bait. Heck, the Notre Dame product showed that if the team doesn't re-sign Jones, maybe he should have a chance to start in front of Richardson, if AR5 stays on the team.
But assuming Jones is re-signed, or the team signs a free agent like Malik Willis, Indy shouldn't have Richardson return. He can't stay healthy, and he hasn't been good when he has played. He needs to be traded for literally any value, and Leonard should be, at worst, QB2.
Riley Leonard didn't wilt at the end of the game
With the Indianapolis Colts trailing by two points late in the fourth quarter, Leonard led a balanced and time-consuming drive that required him not to panic. He easily could have due to a lack of game experience. Sure, by that late in the game, he was playing against backups for the Texans, but he already proved he could be good against the starters.
Instead of forcing a pass into tight coverage to try to get a touchdown, the quarterback knew that a turnover-free drive should at least lead to a field goal. That might have been enough to win the game. In the end, it wasn't, but that was because the defense couldn't stop a backup-filled Texans offense from driving for a game-winning field goal.
Riley Leonard did enough to win the game. He probably would have done well enough to get the Indianapolis Colts a victory in one of the games Philip Rivers started, too. Sadly, it's too late to know that now.