Riley Leonard is set to make his first official start for the Indianapolis Colts in their Week 18 season finale against the Houston Texans. While Leonard’s start marks a new beginning for the rookie, it also marks the end of the Philip Rivers era in Indy. Indy’s decision to start Leonard also reveals an unfortunate truth about the state of the Colts’ quarterback situation over the past decade.
Riley Leonard will be the eighth different starting quarterback for the Colts in the last eight seasons. Thomas Butler-Guerrero of Stampe Blue reported, “None of the last four players mentioned were granted the starting nod in the season opener.” Unfortunately for Indy, the revolving door at signal-caller is becoming an annual affair. While the mystery of the Colts’ future starting quarterback is still currently unsolved, there is a list of suspects who could fit the bill.
Colts Current Roster Offers Hope At Most Important Position
GettyAs a member of Notre Dame, Riley Leonard threw for 255 yards and scored 3 total touchdowns against Ohio State in the National Championship last season.
Trading for Sauce Gardner was a move in an effort to push Indy over the top and into full-blown Super Bowl contender territory. Injuries derailed Indy’s opportunity to capitalize on the full potential of the trade this season, and the cost of two first-round picks now limits the Colts’ options at quarterback moving forward. But luck may be on the horseshoe’s side as the answer might already be in the building.
As mentioned earlier, Riley Leonard is getting his first start on Sunday, January 4. Leonard was a four-year starter in college, playing three seasons at Duke before transferring to Notre Dame in 2024. In his final season, he led the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff final. Leonard is a dual-threat quarterback who threw for 2,861 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, along with an additional 906 yards and 17 scores on the ground. His skill set pairs very well with Steichen’s run-pass-option system and could develop into quite the headache for defenses.
Another option would be for Indy to run it back with Daniel Jones. Jones is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, but could opt to return to the Colts, given his success with Steichen and warm reception with fans. Jones is dealing with the Achilles injury that he sustained against the Houston Texans in Week 14 on December 9.
However, Adam Schefter stated on the Pat McAfee show, “I think that he will ready for the start of the season”, in reference to Jones’ availability for 2026.
Schefter also revealed that he believes that the Colts are banking on Jones for next season, yet that remains more speculation than confirmation.
The third option is that Anthony Richardson Sr. steps up to the plate and fulfills the potential that led to him being drafted at fourth overall in 2023. Richardson is still under contract next season, and another offseason with the team could provide him the opportunity to finally put it all together.
External Options at the Quarterback Position in 2026
GettyOver the last two seasons for the Green Bay Packers, Malik Willis has scored 9 touchdowns with 0 interceptions.
Malik Willis has become a popular name trending among quarterback-needy teams for next season. Willis is set to hit the open market at the end of the season, and his stellar play for the Green Bay Packers has certainly earned him another opportunity to start.
The rest of the quarterback free-agent market is relatively older, with names like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Joe Flacco leading the list. Other interesting options the Colts could explore may be Mac Jones via a trade from the 49ers or Tua Tagovailoa if he is released from Miami.
Expect the team to explore all options as they will attempt to solve the quarterback carousel that has plagued them since Andrew Luck’s retirement.
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