Everything you need to know about the Colts new starting QB rookie Riley Leonard following Daniel Jones’ injury
All signs point to Daniel Jones’ season ending due to an Achilles injury, and rookie QB Riley Leonard is the next man up to start at QB for the Colts.
True devastation hit the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Things always seem to go from bad to worse for the Colts in Jacksonville, but this time it’s truly heartbreaking. The team saw starting QB Daniel Jones go down with a non-contact Achilles injury, and everyone around the league is expecting the worst possible diagnosis: a torn Achilles.
The team turned to rookie Riley Leonard as a result, and all signs point towards him being the team’s starting QB going forward. So, let’s get to know Leonard, as he undergoes a fundamental change that will shape the rest of this season.
Riley Leonard is likely stepping in as the Colts’ starting QB
The Colts selected Leonard with the 189th pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. His college career began at Duke in 2021. He spent three years with the Blue Devils, starting 27 games and recording 4,450 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His best season at Duke came in 2022, when he set a career high with 2,976 yards and threw for the most touchdowns of his Duke career with 20.
He transferred to Notre Dame for his final season and led the Fighting Irish to the National Championship game, when they fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes. He set his new career high that season with 21 passing touchdowns, as well as his career high with 17 rushing touchdowns. Ultimately, showing NFL teams enough to hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Leonard has been a high-level athlete for much longer than just his college years. He was a two-sport athlete in high school, lettering in football and basketball. He actually began his football career in high school as a WR for his first two years, and played basketball all four years. So, it was definitely not your typical high school career for a player who would go on to be drafted to the NFL as a QB.
Now, he steps in as the starter for the Colts with Jones likely heading to the IR, and Anthony Richardson still recovering from a wild eye injury. This is an awful way for Leonard to step into a starting role, but it is also a massive opportunity for the sixth-round pick. His first appearance didn’t go well by any means, but he will now get reps with the first team in practice, and head coach Shane Stiexhen will create a game plan centered on him.
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