The Indianapolis Colts had their playoff hopes crushed in Week 17. After starting the season with a 7-1 record, the team has gone just 1-7 since then and has been officially eliminated from postseason contention.
The team lured quarterback Philip Rivers out of retirement to make a run at the playoffs, and the 44-year-old has held his own. Will the team give Rivers one more start, or will they decide to go a different route with nothing left to play for?
Indianapolis Colts to Start Riley Leonard at QB in Week 18
In his three starts with the Colts, Rivers threw for 544 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. That’s not all that bad, considering Rivers hadn’t played since 2020.
However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Tuesday that the team will make the switch to rookie Riley Leonard for the final game of the regular season.
“After three games with Philip Rivers and the Colts falling out of the playoffs, Indy will get a look at the rookie,” Fowler explained.
The Colts are expected to start rookie Riley Leonard on Sunday against the Texans, sources told @HolderStephen and me.
After three games with Philip Rivers and the Colts falling out of the playoffs, Indy will get a look at the rookie. pic.twitter.com/vuBP9Y7YUO
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 30, 2025
Week 18 will be Leonard’s first NFL start. The sixth-round pick has seen action in four games, with most of his snaps coming in a Week 14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars when Daniel Jones tore his Achilles.
So far in the NFL, Leonard has thrown for 145 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. The rookie does have one rushing touchdown, and the Notre Dame product did a ton of damage with his legs in college.
Leonard’s start will come against the Houston Texans, as the Colts look to end the season on a positive note.
Colts’ Incredible Start Derailed by Devastating Injury
Entering December, the Colts had an 8-4 record and seemed primed to run away with the AFC South. Instead, in Week 14, Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury, and the team was never able to recover.
Before his injury, Jones finally looked like a first-round talent. The quarterback threw for 3,101 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while completing 68.0% of his passes.
PFSN’s QB Impact ranking gave Jones an 86.2 grade, which is still the fifth-best mark among all qualified passers. Anthony Richardson Sr., who battled Jones for the starting job in camp, was also placed on injured reserve, prompting the Colts to turn to Rivers.
Unfortunately, Rivers won’t get another chance in the postseason, but it’s still admirable that the legend even returned to the field after such a lengthy absence.
