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Notre Dame in the NFL: How Riley Leonard showed promise in first career start

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble01/07/26jacksoble56

For the first time since 2021 (Ian Book), a former Notre Dame quarterback has started an NFL game.

For the first time since 2017 (DeShone Kizer), a former Notre Dame quarterback has thrown a touchdown pass in an NFL game. Riley Leonard ended that drought on his first possession as the Indianapolis Colts’ QB1 with a 66-yard bomb to wide-open wide receiver Alec Pierce.

Unfortunately for Leonard and the Colts, Brady Quinn remains the last former Notre Dame quarterback to win an NFL game, which he did in 2012. Incredibly, former Irish signal-callers have now lost 25 consecutive starts. But that doesn’t take away from Leonard’s promising performance on Sunday in the Colts’ 38-30 loss to the Texans.

Leonard went 21-of-34 for 270 yards (7.9 yards per attempt) and 3 total touchdowns, 2 passing and 1 rushing. He did throw an interception and fumbled on a sack deep in his own territory, but for a sixth-round pick making his first start against the NFL’s best scoring and total defense, he was impressive. He generally made good decisions with the football and showed off his arm talent, which is better than his inconsistent mechanics made it look in college.

After sitting behind Daniel Jones and later 44-year-old Philip Rivers — who coaches high school football in Leonard’s hometown of Fairhope, Ala., and is a close friend and mentor to the former Notre Dame QB — Leonard got his opportunity and took advantage. He’s positioned himself well to be the Colts’ primary backup next year, presuming they move on from 2023 top-five pick Anthony Richardson.

Here’s how every former Notre Dame athlete in the NFL performed in Week 18, the final week of the 2025-26 regular season.

Brandon Aubrey (2017-20), K, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-17 loss to Giants

Aubrey went 1-of-2 on field goals, making from 22 yards out and missing from 57.

Kevin Austin Jr. (2018-21), WR, New Orleans Saints

Result: 19-17 loss to Falcons

Austin caught 4 passes for 37 yards on 9 targets.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), G, Green Bay Packers

Result: 16-3 loss to Vikings

Banks allowed 2 pressures, finishing with a 32.6 PFF offense grade.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 19-17 win over Saints

Bertrand made 3 tackles and broke up a pass.

Jordan Clark (2024), NB, New York Jets

Result: 35-8 loss to Bills

Clark played 1 snap on defense.

Howard Cross III (2019-24), DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Result: 20-18 loss to Browns

Cross picked up a quarterback pressure.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-16 loss to Lions

Sheldon Day (2012-15), DT, Washington Commanders

Result: 24-17 win over Eagles

Daly snapped 4 times successfully on punts, and he made at tackle.

Audric Estimé (2021-23), RB, New Orleans Saints

Result: 19-17 loss to Falcons

Estimé ran 21 times (his new career high) for 63 yards. He also caught 5 passes for 43 yards.

Mitchell Evans (2020-24), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: 16-14 loss to Buccaneers

Evans caught a pass for 5 yards on 2 targets.

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Result: 38-30 win over Colts

Fisher allowed 1 pressure and finished with a 59.0 PFF offense grade.

Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, Cincinnati Bengals

Result: 20-18 loss to Browns

Foskey played 9 snaps on special teams.

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 26-24 loss to Steelers

Gilman made 8 tackles, including a massive tackle for loss at the end of the first half that took points off the board. He also broke up a pass.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 38-30 loss to Texans

Grupe made all 3 of his field-goal attempts, with a long of 50.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), C, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: 41-7 win over Titans

Hainsey allowed no pressures and earned a 79.1 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 26-24 loss to Steelers

Hamilton made 9 tackles, including 3 defensive stops (tackles that result in a failure for the offense). He also defended a pass.

Thomas Harper (2023), S, Detroit Lions

Result: 19-16 win over Bears

Harper (concussion) missed Week 18.

Cam Hart (2019-23), CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 19-3 loss to Broncos

Hart allowed 2 receptions for 10 yards on 3 targets. He also tied his season high with 4 tackles.

Sam Hartman (2023), QB, Washington Commanders

Result: 24-17 win over Eagles

Hartman was a healthy scratch, with an emergency third quarterback designation. The only former Notre Dame quarterback in the NFL aside from Leonard, Hartman has yet to make his regular-season debut.

JJ Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: 16-14 loss to Buccaneers

Jansen snapped 6 times successfully, 3 on punts and 3 on field goals.

Khalid Kareem (2017-19), DE, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 19-17 win over Saints

Kareem made 2 assisted tackles and picked up a QB pressure.

Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-16 loss to Lions

Kmet caught 2 of his 3 targets for 16 yards. He also made a difficult catch in traffic for a game-tying 2-point conversion.

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-17 loss to Giants

Liufau played 3 defensive snaps.

Julian Love (2015-18), S, Seattle Seahawks

Result: 13-3 win over 49ers

Love was targeted just once, for a 10-yard reception.

Michael Mayer (2020-22), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 14-12 win over Chiefs

Mayer caught 3 passes on 5 targets for 47 yards.

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-16 loss to Lions

McCloud (illness) missed Week 18.

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OT, Denver Broncos

Result: 19-3 win over Chargers

McGlinchey allowed 2 pressures and finished with a 63.2 PFF offense grade.

Rylie Mills (2020-24), DT, Seattle Seahawks

Result: 13-3 win over 49ers

Mills played 3 defensive snaps.

Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: 16-14 win over Panthers

Morrison allowed 3 receptions on 5 targets for 38 yards and a touchdown. He also made 2 tackles and recovered a fumble.

Sam Mustipher (2014-18), C, Denver Broncos

Result: 19-3 win over Chargers

Mustipher played 4 offensive snaps.

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), G, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 38-30 loss to Texans

Nelson allowed zero pressures and earned a 73.2 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), C, Houston Texans

Result: 38-30 win over Colts

Patterson allowed 3 pressures but posted a 67.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: 26-24 win over Ravens

Skowronek played 19 snaps on special teams, making 1 tackle.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 16-3 win over Packers

Smith took the field for possibly the final time on Sunday. He has not officially retired yet, but that certainly seems likely after 14 NFL seasons, all with the Minnesota Vikings.

Smith is the NFL’s active leader in both interceptions (39) and interception return yards (510). If this is it, the six-time Pro Bowler also finish his career with 1,180 tackles, 51 tackles for loss and 21.5 sacks.

Next stop: The Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-16 loss to Lions

Smythe was not targeted.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 26-24 loss to Steelers

Stanley allowed 2 pressures, finishing with a 62.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 14-12 loss to Raiders

Tillery picked up a quarterback pressure, and he also made 2 tackles.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 14-12 loss to Raiders

Tranquill made 5 tackles, including a tackle for loss.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: 16-14 loss to Buccaneers

Tremble caught 3 passes on 4 targets for 38 yards and a touchdown.

Xavier Watts (2020-24), S, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 19-17 win over Saints

Watts made 7 tackles, defended a pass and recovered a fumble. Last week, though, Watts lit Monday Night Football on fire with 2 interceptions of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. He finished his outstanding rookie season with 5 picks, which was tied for second in the NFL.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Result: 37-20 win over Cardinals

Williams carried 12 times for 60 yards and caught 3 passes on 5 targets for 21 yards.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

Former Notre Dame players on injured reserve