INJURY UPDATE: A “Cursed” Game Has Taken Three Key Starters, and Now the Colts Face a Quarterback Crisis — What Happens If Indy Must Finish the Season Without Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson?

Indianapolis, Indiana – What was supposed to be a pivotal AFC South showdown turned into one of the most disastrous nights of the Indianapolis Colts’ season. Their 36–19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t just shake the standings — it tore apart the roster. Three major contributors went down, and suddenly the Colts, who entered Week 14 with real playoff hopes at 8–5, are staring at a quarterback emergency no one could have predicted.

The most devastating blow is the loss of Daniel Jones, who suffered a torn right Achilles — officially ruling him out for the remainder of the season. It’s a brutal end to what had been the best campaign of his career. With playoff odds sitting between 30–44%, losing their QB1 at this critical stretch is the kind of hit most teams never recover from.

But the nightmare didn’t end there.

Anthony Richardson, once expected to return later this year after suffering an orbital fracture in Week 6, will not be activated from injured reserve. The team confirmed he is not close to being ready, leaving Indianapolis without both of their top quarterbacks for the rest of the season.

As if that weren’t enough, Charvarius Ward (concussion protocol) and Tyquan Lewis (out) also went down in the same game — turning the Colts’ injury report into one of the bleakest in the entire NFL heading into Week 15.

Now, Indianapolis must turn to a name few imagined would be in this position:
Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard.

Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, stepped in for Jones against Jacksonville and showed flashes of poise:

• 18-of-29 passing

He’s dealing with a mild knee ligament strain but remains expected to start — because frankly, the Colts have no one else. Backing him up is Brett Rypien from the practice squad, leaving Indianapolis with one of the thinnest QB rooms in the league at the worst possible moment.

From legitimate playoff contender to survival mode — the shift was immediate and harsh.

But amid the uncertainty, Leonard delivered a message that stunned the locker room and gave the Colts something they desperately needed: belief.

“I’m not Daniel, and I’m not Anthony. But I’m going to fight for this team with everything I have. If this is the moment I have to grow up, then I’ll grow up right now.”

A rookie quarterback. A battered roster. A season hanging in the balance.

The Colts didn’t plan for this.
No one did.

But if Indianapolis is going to keep its playoff hopes alive, it will be behind the arm, legs, and heart of a rookie who just had his NFL adulthood arrive sooner than anyone expected — Riley Leonard.