Everybody wondering why Colts didn’t start Riley Leonard instead of Philip Rivers

The Indianapolis Colts fell to 8-9 with a Week 18 loss to the Houston Texans, but the game was not all bad. Fans were pleased with what they saw from rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, leaving some to wonder why the Colts even brought in Philip Rivers.

Leonard threw for 270 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception in his first career start, while also recording his second career rushing touchdown. He led the Colts to a 30-point outing against the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL, their most points scored since putting up 31 in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Riley Leonard in his first career NFL start:

Passing TD
Passing TD
Rushing TD

Colts take the lead over the Texans!pic.twitter.com/ousJ6xBExU

— NFL on ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsNFL) January 4, 2026

Leonard, who also played well against the Jacksonville Jaguars after Daniel Jones got hurt, has already gained the respect of the fan base. His performance has caused fans to openly wonder why the Colts did not just trust him to start their previous three games instead of luring Rivers out of retirement.

“Is… it possible that the biggest mistake that the Colts made this season was bringing in Philip Rivers to start over Riley Leonard?” one fan asked on X, formerly Twitter.

“Where would the Colts be if they went with Riley Leonard instead of Phil Rivers,” another fan questioned.

The debate even sparked an opinion from ESPN’s Ryan Clark, who aired his support for Leonard.

“I thought Riley Leonard should have started when Jones was injured,” Clark tweeted. “Everyone was in an uproar because they supported Rivers. Although Rivers played better than expected, today only reinforced my feelings. Leonard’s youth and athleticism would have given them a much better chance.”

Colts insider does not buy into quarterback debate

Despite the overwhelming support for Leonard, the Duke alum does not have everyone on his side. Most believe that he would have played well had he started multiple games, but ESPN’s Stephen Holder does not fault the Colts for signing and starting Rivers over him.

“The problem with the Riley Leonard vs. Philip Rivers discourse is that even if you flip the decision, it probably doesn’t change the outcome,” Holder tweeted. “Are we saying that Rivers is the reason they lost those games? Because that was clearly not true. Same result no matter the call IMO.”

However, Holder believes that Leonard has played well enough to remain the Colts’ backup quarterback in 2026 over Anthony Richardson. Indianapolis is likely to give Daniel Jones a long-term extension despite his season-ending Achilles injury.

The post Everybody wondering why Colts didn’t start Riley Leonard instead of Philip Rivers appeared first on ClutchPoints.