Former Notre Dame football quarterback Riley Leonard has an uphill battle if he wants to earn a starting job in the NFL, and particularly with the Indianapolis Colts.
Despite injuries plaguing him since arriving in the league, Anthony Richardson still seems to be the favorite to start for the Colts come Week 1 of the NFL season.
Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard shows flashes in Colts debut
But Richardson's inability to stay healthy -- he suffered a dislocated finger against the Baltimore Ravens in Thursday's preseason game -- means there could be plenty of open doors throughout the season. Despite being third on the depth chart behind Richardson and backup Daniel Jones, Leonard flashed some of the same set of skills that he used to lead the Notre Dame football team to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in January.
Riley Leonard doing Riley Leonard things 💪😤
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 8, 2025
📺 @nflnetwork #IrishInTheNFL☘️ | @Colts | @rileyleonard13_ pic.twitter.com/kHBzquuf8p
Leonard came in to relieve Jones in the second half after he finished his outing 10-of-21 for 144 yards and no touchdowns.
On his second possession, Leonard used his speed to extend the drive. It ultimately led to a Colts touchdown -- their only one of the game. The former Notre Dame quarterback also had some success through the air, finishing 12-of-24 for 92 yards. He also added 34 rushing yards, 21 of which came on one play and was the largest play by any Colt on the night.
I've enjoyed the Riley Leonard experience through two drives pic.twitter.com/qosmxWafAN
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) August 8, 2025
Not everything went Leonard's way, however. Near the midway point of the fourth quarter, Leonard was under pressure with the pocket collapsing around him. As he stepped up to avoid pressure from his backside, he tried to force a pass to one of his wideouts. He was hit as he threw, resulting in a lame duck of a pass that was intercepted with ease by Ravens linebacker Jay Higgins,
The NFL is a different animal than college football. Players are stronger, faster and overall more talented. Very few quarterbacks have entered the league and found immediate success. Colts fans seemed to remember that Thursday night, as plenty were pleased with what they saw from Leonard despite an up-and-down performance overall.
The former Notre Dame football star will have a chance to learn and grown from the good and bad from Thursday's game on Saturday, August 16, when Riley Leonard and the Colts take on the Green Bay Packers in their second preseason game.