Notre Dame football fans who are already tired of doomscrolling through all the comments about the College Football Playoff bracket and how poorly the committee did, do have something else they could be doing. Fighting Irish fans could watch Riley Leonard make his NFL regular-season debut.
Leonard has been on the cusp of getting into the game the last few weeks due to the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, playing with a broken fibula. Ironically, when Jones exited the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was due to a totally unrelated leg injury.
Jones suffered an Achilles injury to his other leg early in the Colts' game and that, in turn, led to the former Notre Dame quarterback entering the game.
Daniel Jones looks to be in serious pain after trying to limp off the field pic.twitter.com/mq2z7PRaqw
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 7, 2025
Rain, pressure, and an early call: Riley Leonard forced into action for Colts
After completing 4 of his first 5 passes, the rookie quarterback struggled in the second quarter, though that's expected considering this is his first action in his NFL career. The game is also played in a downpour on a hostile field, to add to the pressure.
While Leonard and the Colts trailed the Jaguars 28 to 10 at the half, the bigger question is just how badly Jones is hurt and what that means for Riley Leonard and the rest of the season.
With Indy still looking for a playoff spot, it seems unlikely that the former Notre Dame signal caller would be the starter for the rest of the year. On the other hand, as it's past the trade deadline, the Colts might have no other option than to hope the rookie can learn quickly.