It was a moment that Indianapolis Colts fans—and especially one rookie quarterback’s family—won’t soon forget. On January 4, 2026, under the bright lights at NRG Stadium in Houston, Riley Leonard stepped onto the NFL stage for his first career start and delivered a memory that transcended the scoreboard. With the Colts already out of playoff contention and sitting at an 8-8 record heading into their final game of the season, the stakes may have been low for the team, but for Leonard and his loved ones, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Early in the first quarter, Colts head coach Shane Steichen’s decision to start the sixth-round rookie over veteran Philip Rivers paid off in spectacular fashion. Leonard, who had seen his first game action just weeks earlier against the Jacksonville Jaguars, dropped back and unleashed a perfectly arced deep ball down the left seam. Wide receiver Alec Pierce, the team’s leading receiver and a favorite target of every Colts quarterback this season, broke free—thanks in part to a rare miscue by Houston’s typically stingy secondary, which was missing star corner Kamari Lassiter—and hauled in the 66-yard touchdown strike. The Colts sideline erupted, and so did a small section of the stands where Leonard’s family watched the drama unfold.
What happened next turned a remarkable play into a heartwarming family highlight. As the celebrations wound down, Leonard scanned the crowd, spotted his father, and tossed the game ball up into the stands. His dad caught it, passed it to Leonard’s mother, and the CBS broadcast caught the family sharing a joyful embrace. Former NFL star and broadcaster J.J. Watt summed up the moment for viewers: “Go ahead and toss the ball up to your dad and he hands it to your mom and they share a kiss. I mean, is there a better moment to have on camera for your first-ever NFL touchdown?”
For Leonard, the road to this milestone had been anything but guaranteed. After being named the starter earlier in the week, he reflected on the gravity of the opportunity. “Gratitude, really. It’s a long season and a lot of waiting for the right time, and you never really know when that time is,” Leonard told the media. “There’s only 32 guys that are starting in the NFL this week, and I’m one of them.”
Leonard’s path to the starting job was paved by adversity within the Colts’ quarterback room. After Daniel Jones, the team’s starting quarterback, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14 against the Jaguars, 44-year-old Philip Rivers came out of retirement for a three-week stint under center. With the season all but lost and the team reeling from six straight defeats, Steichen made the call to give Leonard the reins for the finale. The move wasn’t just about giving the rookie a taste of NFL action—it was about evaluating the team’s future at the position, with major questions looming ahead of the offseason.
“Phil has been one of the best things that’s happened to me,” Leonard said, expressing appreciation for the mentorship he received. “I’ve been very fortunate with the quarterback room from Philip to Daniel [Jones] to Anthony [Richardson]. Everyone’s been a huge help.” Rivers, for his part, announced just days before the game that he would retire from football for good and return to coaching high school football in Alabama, where two of his sons play. “This was a fun, three-week blur that nobody saw coming, including myself. And that’ll be it,” Rivers said on the “Up and Adams” show.
Head coach Shane Steichen was clear about his expectations for Leonard in his first start. “I think managing the game, completions, not making bad plays worse is a big part of it as a rookie, and going out there and moving the football,” Steichen told reporters. “It’s getting completions, being good in the run game, when you have shots, take them, but be smart with the football during the whole game.”
Leonard’s stat line at the time of reporting reflected both the rookie’s promise and his inexperience. He had completed 5 of 8 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown—the vast majority coming on that electric 66-yard connection with Pierce. Oddly enough, Leonard was also the Colts’ leading rusher with one carry for 11 yards. While outside of that one big play his performance was modest, the coaching staff’s willingness to let him air it out spoke volumes about their desire to see what the young quarterback could bring to the table.
For Alec Pierce, the touchdown was another feather in the cap of what’s shaping up to be a contract year to remember. The fourth-year receiver, in the final year of his deal, was expected to finish the season as the team’s leading receiver. Both sides had agreed to put off contract negotiations until after the season, but performances like this only bolster Pierce’s value heading into free agency. Colts insiders believe that bringing back both Pierce and Daniel Jones will be a priority for general manager Chris Ballard, whose own job security has been buoyed by the team’s flashes of offensive promise—despite a late-season slump.
The Texans’ defense, one of the league’s best in both points and yards allowed, was missing a key piece in Kamari Lassiter, and his absence was felt immediately. Pierce’s touchdown catch exposed a rare breakdown in coverage, giving the Colts a much-needed spark. Still, at the time of the report, Indianapolis was trailing Houston 20-10 with about four minutes left in the first half. The outcome of the game remained very much in doubt, and with the Colts out of the playoff picture, their role as potential spoilers was all that remained on the line. If Indianapolis managed to pull off a win, the Jacksonville Jaguars would clinch the AFC South division—adding an extra layer of intrigue to an otherwise low-stakes finale.
Looking ahead, the Colts face a pivotal offseason. With several key starters, including Daniel Jones, set to hit free agency and questions swirling around the quarterback position, the franchise’s leadership will have their work cut out for them. But if Leonard’s debut is any indication, there’s hope for the future in Indianapolis—hope built on the kind of moments that remind everyone why football is more than just a game.
As the clock ticked down toward halftime, Colts fans had plenty to cheer for, even if the postseason was out of reach. Sometimes, it’s the personal triumphs—the first touchdown, the family celebration, the rookie’s gratitude—that resonate most. And for Riley Leonard and his family, this game will always be remembered as the day dreams came true on the NFL stage.
