Overview
- Head coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday that Riley Leonard will start the season finale in Houston, confirming the veteran Philip Rivers will not start.
- Steichen said there is a good chance practice-squad quarterback Seth Henigan will be Leonard's primary backup on Sunday.
- Leonard, a sixth-round pick from Notre Dame, will make his first NFL start after four appearances this season in which he went 18-of-33 for 145 yards with two interceptions.
- Rivers went 0-3 after coming out of retirement in mid-December, completing 63% of his passes for 544 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions, and he said he has no regrets about the short stint.
- With Daniel Jones out for the season with a torn Achilles and Anthony Richardson not being activated due to ongoing vision limitations, the 8-8 Colts shift focus to 2026, and Rivers' brief return resets his Hall of Fame eligibility to 2031.