The Indianapolis Colts elevated quarterback Seth Henigan to the active roster from the practice squad over the weekend, signaling he'll back up Riley Leonard vs. the Houston Texans.
If you're one to read between the lines, then the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback plans for Week 18 against the Houston Texans just became a little clearer.
This weekend, the Colts elevated quarterback Seth Henigan and tight end Sean McKeon from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Sunday's matchup. That's a strong indication that Henigan, signed to the practice squad just this week, will back up starting quarterback Riley Leonard against the Texans, which would relegate Philip Rivers to emergency third quarterback, if he even dresses at all.
"Seth Henigan, we signed him to the practice squad. Try to get him up to speed this week, see how it goes. And if he feels comfortable with it, it's good chance he'll be the backup there," Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Wednesday after announcing that Leonard would replace Rivers as the starting quarterback.
Steichen then said Rivers would "possibly" be the third quarterback and would be the backup if Henigan was not prepared to handle the duties.
Henigan (6'3", 215, 22 years old) is an undrafted rookie who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars right after the 2025 NFL Draft concluded. After being let go during preseason roster cuts, he signed to the practice squad, but was released at the end of September.
McKeon (6'5", 255, 28) is in his second season with the Colts, primarily on the practice squad. He went undrafted in the 2020 draft, signing with the Dallas Cowboys afterward. He spent training camp with the Detroit Lions in 2024 before being cut and joining the Colts for the season. He has six catches for 38 yards and a touchdown in 45 career games (three starts).
McKeon will provide depth for the Colts at tight end, who will be without Drew Ogletree (IR-neck) and Will Mallory (lung).
At 8-8 and riding a six-game losing streak, the Colts have already been eliminated from playoff contention as of last week. That prompted the move from Rivers to Leonard, and could mean some younger players, or players who normally get less playing time, could see increased action on Sunday.
The Colts and Texans face off on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium on CBS.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.