2025 NFL Week 15 Buzz: Colts QB Riley Leonard Dealing With Knee Injury
Who's starting, who's hurt, and who's on the move?
NFL news is nonstop, and we're breaking it all down week by week this season.
Here's the latest on what's happening around the league entering Week 15:
Jones, Leonard both injured for Colts
On top of Daniel Jones tearing his Achilles, bringing an end to his season, the Colts are now also dealing with an injury to backup quarterback Riley Leonard, as coach Shane Steichen explained that he suffered a knee injury on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Leonard was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by Indianapolis, and has appeared in two games this season. While the first time was in October and saw him make just two pass attempts, on Sunday against the Jaguars, he was 18-for-29 for 145 yards with no touchdowns and an interception while filling in for Jones.
Sunday was Leonard's most extensive action since Notre Dame lost last year's national championship game. Steichen couldn’t say yet if Leonard would play at Seattle, but the Colts have limited options in the building.
"He came in with a knee (injury) this morning so we’re working through that right now. That's what I've got right now," Steichen said before addressing Leonard's playing status. "Hopefully, that’s the hope. We'll see how it goes."
If Leonard can't play, veteran Brett Rypien could be next in line even though he was signed to the practice squad in mid-October but is not yet on the active roster. Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023, lost the quarterback competition to Jones in training camp and has not practiced since going on injured reserve with a fractured orbital bone in mid-October.
Indianapolis is 8-5 after losing three games in a row, and in second place in the AFC South.
Commanders Ertz tears ACL
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced on Monday that tight end Zach Ertz will miss the rest of the season, per the Athletic. Ertz seemed to have torn his ACL on Sunday against the Vikings, and an MRI on Monday confirmed the injury.
Ertz, who was upended during an incomplete pass over the middle late in the third quarter thrown by backup Marcus Mariota after Jayden Daniels was sidelined by an aggravation of his elbow injury, left the Washington locker room on crutches.
Ertz was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was helped off the field and visibly upset as he reached the sideline, before being transported inside on a cart. The 13-year veteran, a second-round draft pick by Philadelphia who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles after the 2017 season, has 50 catches for 504 yards in 2025.
In his second season with the Commanders, Ertz has the second-most receptions by a tight end (825) in the NFL since his debut in 2013, trailing only Travis Kelce (1,063 entering Sunday). He recently passed Shannon Sharpe to move into fifth place all time in tight end receptions, behind Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Kelce and Antonio Gates.
Browns name Sanders starting QB for rest of season
The Browns have named rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders their starter for the rest of the season, following Sunday's strong performance in a loss against the Titans. While Cleveland was defeated 31-29, Sanders threw for a career-high 364 yards.
Through his three starts, Sanders has shown improvement. He had a breakout game on Sunday, with three touchdowns and a rushing score. He joins Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow as the only rookie quarterbacks with at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes and one rushing score in a game.
Stefanski is also convinced that Sanders can learn from his mistakes, such as the ill-fated interception in the third quarter where he scrambled and threw a deep pass to the middle of the field where it was picked off by Tennessee's Xavier Woods. The interception would later lead to the Titans scoring the go-ahead touchdown.
"I think he has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games and how he’s approached his game," Stefanski said. 'He’s been working very hard, so I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always going to be plays that he can be better and those types of things, but he’s very intentional about getting better each and every game he’s out there."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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