Daniel Jones was already playing hurt in 2025. He’d gritted out a broken fibula with help from a 3D printer and his alma mater. That injury limited his mobility and was a key factor in the Indianapolis Colts’ slide from 7-1 to 8-4.In Week 14, however, things went from bad to worse. The resurgent veteran quarterback left Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars — a showdown with massive AFC South implications — after a non-contact injury. Jones went down after throwing an incompletion, grabbing at his lower right leg. Jones attempted to limp off the field afterward. Instead, he collapsed back down to the turf as trainers arrived to check on him.Daniel Jones looks to be in serious pain after trying to limp off the field pic.twitter.com/mq2z7PRaqw— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 7, 2025Jones was ruled out for the game shortly afterward with an Achilles injury. That leaves the Colts in a pinch. Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and former franchise quarterback, is currently on injured reserve after suffering a broken orbital during pre-game stretches in Week 6. That didn’t seem like a big deal at the time with Jones dealing. Now, however, it’s a problem.That means it’s time for sixth round rookie Riley Leonard to shine.Leonard played well enough at Duke in 2022 to earn some first round buzz that offseason. While he backslid in 2023, he still managed to earn a place behind center at Notre Dame in 2024. There, he led the Fighting Irish to a school-record 14 wins before losing to Ohio State in the National Championship Game. He was an accurate, but not prolific presence in the pocket in South Bend, throwing for fewer than 180 yards per game. More importantly, he ran for nearly 900 yards on the ground and added 17 rushing touchdowns.That gives Indianapolis a dual-threat passer in Jones’ mold. The question now is if he can receive a similar boost from the Colts’ deep lineup of skill players.When could Anthony Richardson return to the Colts’ lineup?Richardson is eligible to return from injured reserve this season. However, he has yet to be cleared to return to football activities. Jones’ injury may speed that timeline, but if Indianapolis needs a quarterback in Week 15, it may be Leonard’s chance to shine once more. His ramp-up is expected to be slow, but we could see him on the field in 2025.This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who is the Colts’ backup QB if Daniel Jones is injured?