The Indianapolis Colts faced a challenging 2025 season, marked by both early promise and late-season struggles. Despite the team's overall performance, rookie quarterback Riley Leonard emerged as a bright spot, showcasing potential for the future [6]. Meanwhile, an off-field issue has emerged with the FBI launching an investigation into the death of Colts owner Jim Irsay [1].
Leonard's Promising Debut
Riley Leonard made five appearances, including one start, during his rookie season [6]. Against the Houston Texans, who had the league's top defense, Leonard achieved a historic milestone [4]. He became the first Colts quarterback to record two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in his first career start [4]. Overall, Leonard completed 39 passes for 415 yards and two touchdowns, adding 27 rushing yards and two more touchdowns on the ground [6]. His performance offered a glimpse of what he could bring to the Colts' offense in the future [6]. Leonard also connected with tight end Tyler Warren and wide receiver Coleman Owen [5].
Season of Disappointments
Despite Leonard's flashes of brilliance, the Colts' 2025 season ended in disappointment [7]. After a promising 7-1 start, the team suffered a seven-game losing streak [2]. This collapse made them the first team in NFL history to finish with a losing record after such a strong start [2]. The losing streak cost the Colts a divisional title, which they haven't won since 2014 [2]. This disappointing end has sparked debate, with ESPN's predictions drawing criticism from Jacksonville Jaguars fans [3]. One anonymous NFL executive believes the Colts are closer to contention than fans might think [2]. The Colts' struggles highlight the need for improvement and consistency across the team [2].
TL;DR
* Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard showed promise in his limited appearances, highlighted by a historic performance against the Texans [4, 6]. * The Colts finished the 2025 season with a losing record after a 7-1 start, missing out on a divisional title [2]. * The FBI has launched an investigation into the death of Colts owner Jim Irsay [1]. * Despite the disappointing season, some believe the Colts are closer to being competitive than their record indicates [2].