Colts likely to start Riley Leonard over Philip Rivers at QB in season finale vs. Texans

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2025-12-29

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The Colts were officially eliminated from postseason contention Saturday evening following the Texans’ win over the Chargers, bringing to a close what once appeared to be a special season.

With nothing significant to play for in their final two games of the 2025 season, Indy is expected to move on from the Philip Rivers experiment in short order.

Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard is slated to start the Colts’ season finale in Houston, replacing the 44-year-old Rivers for Indy’s Week 18 game, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning .

Rivers is starting Indy’s Week 17 game against Jacksonville because, as late as Saturday afternoon, the Colts were still in the playoff hunt. Eliminated later that night, Indy has decided to continue with its plan to play Rivers and its starters against the Jaguars, who like the Texans are fighting for the AFC South title.

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Leonard will be getting his first NFL start in Week 18. The sixth-round rookie saw his first extended action in the Colts’ Week 14 loss to the Jags, when Leonard replaced Daniel Jones, who suffered a season-ending torn Achilles. The Duke and Notre Dame product was competent, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 145 yards and an interception after Jacksonville but left the game with a knee sprain, leaving his Week 15 availability in doubt.

With the Colts’ playoff hopes on the line, Indy called a Hail Mary and signed Rivers out of retirement instead of handing the reins to Leonard. Entering Sunday’s Week 17 game, Rivers has been stellar, completing 66.1 percent of his passes for 397 yards, three touchdowns and two picks. But the aged signal-caller has been unable to muster wins for the Colts, who have lost to the Seahawks and 49ers, the NFC’s cream of the crop, by a combined score of 66-43 in his two starts.

With Leonard waiting in the wings, Rivers’ NFL career is expected to come to a close (again) with Sunday’s showdown with Jacksonville.