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The Indianapolis Colts are expected to start rookie Riley Leonard over veteran Philip Rivers for their regular season finale on Sunday (December 4), sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN's Stephen Holder and Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday (December 30). 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," Fowler wrote on his X account.
Rivers, 44, who was a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist prior to coming out of retirement earlier this month, went 0-3 in three starts with the Colts in 2025, throwing for 544 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions on 58 of 92 passing.
Leonard, who led Notre Dame to a College Football Playoff National Championship Game appearance in January, was selected by the Colts at No. 189 overall in the sixth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft and has appeared in four games, throwing for 145 yards and two interceptions on 18 of 33 passing. Indianapolis became the first NFL team to miss the postseason after an 8-2 start in 30 years on Saturday (December 27) following the AFC South Division rival Houston Texans' 20-16 win against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Starting quarterback Daniel Jones was having a career renaissance, going 8-5 as a starter and throwing for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while also recording 164 yards and five touchdowns on 45 rushing attempts, prior to suffering a season-ending Achilles injury earlier this month.
