The Indianapolis Colts came out of the preseason with a 25-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, but Shane Steichen still isn’t ready to close the book on the backup quarterback race behind Daniel Jones.
With roster cutdown day looming, Steichen said both Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard gave him reasons to feel good about what he saw Saturday.
“I thought Anthony had some good drives for sure and did some good things,” said Steichen. “I think Riley did some good things as well, I just obviously don't want to turn it over in the redzone.”
Richardson got the bulk of the preseason snaps and finished 21 of 33 for 249 yards over three games. Against Detroit, he was 7-for-10 for 80 yards. His preseason line also included one rushing touchdown, but no passing touchdowns, along with one fumble and one interception.
Indianapolis Colts' Shane Steichen On Anthony Richardson Sr., Riley Leonard After Preseason Finale pic.twitter.com/1XpJKGdUGs
— Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) August 29, 2026
Leonard’s preseason numbers were close in volume, if not efficiency: 20 completions on 42 attempts for 199 yards. The 2025 sixth-round pick went 3-for-7 for 48 yards against the Lions. He helped engineer a scoring drive by hitting a couple of key throws before DJ Giddens punched in a 6-yard touchdown run.
Leonard’s afternoon later went sideways with an interception on a drive that started just outside the red zone. Afterward, he said the bigger problem wasn’t the throw itself but his inability to line up his teammates properly before the snap, which kept him from buying more time in the pocket. He said the pass went where he meant to put it, but he also admitted he missed the chance.
Statistically, there hasn’t been much daylight between the two. Richardson finished the preseason with 21 completions on 33 attempts, while Leonard had 20 completions on 42 attempts. Neither quarterback threw a preseason touchdown, and Leonard was picked off twice.
Steichen has already said he doesn’t have a timetable for naming Jones’ backup before the Colts open the regular season against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13, and he wouldn’t say the decision has to be permanent once it’s made.
Even with the job on the line, Richardson and Leonard have kept the tone supportive. Richardson was among the players celebrating Leonard after the touchdown drive, a small but telling snapshot of how the quarterback room has handled a competition that still hasn’t produced a clear winner.
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