The Indianapolis Colts are currently clashing with the Houston Texans in their Week 18 matchup. Amid the intense contest, fans witnessed a heartwarming moment as Colts quarterback Riley Leonard made a special gesture to his father following his first NFL touchdown.
Colts QB Riley Leonard Throws the Ball to His Father Following His First NFL Touchdown
Leonard is leading the Colts in today’s game against the Texans, marking his fifth appearance on an NFL gridiron and his first career start. Ahead of the Week 18 matchup, he had completed 18 of 35 attempts for 145 yards and two interceptions, with all 18 completions coming against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Week 15 matchup.
Leonard threw the first NFL touchdown of his career today, connecting with Alec Pierce on a 66-yard touchdown strike. This gave them a 7–3 lead over Houston, who entered the game with one of the most efficient defenses in the league, currently ranked No. 1 on PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric with a score of 90.7.
You gotta love sports
Riley Leonard throws his first career TD ball to his dad pic.twitter.com/JgBMtV1ZVM
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 4, 2026
It was a memorable moment for the rookie quarterback, and he made it even more special for himself and his father by tossing the ball to him afterward. His father could clearly be seen showing how proud he was of his son.
Leonard and Philip Rivers Share a Unique Bond
Philip Rivers surprisingly came out of retirement late in the 2025 NFL season to take over the starting quarterback role for the Colts. He was brought in after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury. The team hoped Rivers could keep them alive in the playoff race, but that didn’t happen, as he was unable to lead the team to a victory in any of the games he started.
After three starts, the job was handed over to the rookie Leonard. According to NFL insider Albert Breer, the two share a unique relationship and have known each other for a long time before joining forces with the Colts.
“On Riley Leonard starting for Indy: It’s really cool that Philip Rivers is there with him. The two have worked together in the offseason the past couple of years in the Mobile, Ala., area, where Rivers lives, and Leonard is from, to the point that Rivers has become a mentor to the young quarterback. I’m sure Rivers wants to play, but getting to be there for Leonard isn’t a bad way for the old gunslinger to ride off into the sunset,” Breer said.
Perhaps it was too much to ask of Rivers, who returned to the field after five years away, to save the team from elimination in such a cutthroat competition. While he couldn’t deliver the desired results, his presence could still be inspiring for Leonard, who now has the opportunity to showcase his potential to the NFL world.
