The Indianapolis Colts are set to start rookie quarterback Riley Leonard in their upcoming game against the Houston Texans this Sunday, according to sources reported by Stephen Holder and Jeremy Fowler.
Leonard, who was selected in the sixth round of this year”s draft from Notre Dame, will take the reins from veteran quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers had come out of retirement after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury and had started the last three games for the Colts.
Although Rivers performed admirably during his time back on the field, the Colts were unable to secure a victory in any of those matchups, resulting in their elimination from playoff contention in Week 17. Despite the losses, Rivers expressed that he had “no regrets” about returning to play this season.
Rivers had previously been a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame”s Class of 2026, but his decision to unretire means he will not be eligible again for consideration until 2031.
The Colts are looking to the future with Leonard at the helm, hoping to gain valuable experience as they move forward in the closing weeks of the season.
