Riley Leonard was closer than he had been to playing in a NFL regular-season game Sunday. He was the backup behind Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones in the wake of the eye injury Anthony Richardson suffered in pregame warmups.
Was Leonard, a sixth-round draft pick this year, ready to go? We can’t be sure but he believes Jones has given him a template for how to run an NFL offense.
“I’ve learned so much from Daniel,” Leonard said. “I can be high and low sometimes. Being able to study him, and how he operates (has helped me).”
Jones won the starting job over Richardson in the preseason and has guided the Colts to a 5-1 record. He completed 22-of-30 passes for 212 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception in their 31-27 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Jones also rushed for a touchdown, giving him 12 total TDs this season (8 passing, 4 rushing).
None of that surprises Leonard.
“Nobody realizes it, but Daniel is the first in the building every single day and the last one out,” Leonard said. “You guys just won’t see it because he’s not a boastful guy. He’s such a hard worker.”
Joel A. Erickson covers the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.