Current NFL rosters feature 13 quarterbacks from Alabama high schools and colleges. Three could make their first appearances in an NFL uniform on Thursday night, when Week 1 of the 2025 preseason schedule kicks off.
The three rookies among the 13 quarterbacks are the Indianapolis Colts’ Riley Leonard from Fairhope High School, Seattle Seahawks’ Jalen Milroe from Alabama and Cincinnati Bengals’ Payton Thorne from Auburn.
Milroe seems likely to take the most snaps of the trio. The Seahawks aren’t scheduled to play starting QB Sam Darnold against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Drew Lock is an experienced backup. The third-round rookie is the only remaining quarterback on the Seattle roster.
“Keep doing what he’s doing,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said about Milroe on Tuesday. “You don’t have to reinvent quarterback play. Just do all the things that you’ve been trained to do. Go let it rip, be decisive and be the quarterback and person that we drafted you to be and that he’s becoming out there every day. I think you guys see it. There’s a lot of progress. A lot of things to be excited about, and a lot of things we want to work on, too.”
In a change to his usual procedure, Bengals coach Zac Taylor plans to play quarterback Joe Burrow in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Taylor said “a couple of series, several series is what we’ll give the starters” with Cincinnati pointing Burrow and the first-team offense toward a longer run in the second preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Aug. 18.
Behind Burrow, the Bengals have Jake Browning, Desmond Ridder and Thorne. Browning has served as Burrow’s backup the past two seasons. The Atlanta Falcons’ starting QB in 2023, Ridder signed with Cincinnati on July 20. Thorne came aboard in May as a rookie free agent.
Taylor said his quarterback plans on Thursday night would be “Jake playing a healthy amount of the rest of the game when Joe comes out, and then Desmond getting a chance to get whatever’s left over.”
The Colts are seeking to decide between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback. Leonard joined the team from Notre Dame in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on April 26. Indianapolis also has Jason Bean, a rookie free agent from Kansas, available at quarterback.
Earlier this week, Colts coach Shane Steichen said Jones and Richardson would play against the Baltimore Ravens in the preseason opener.
“One’ll play a good amount in this game,” Steichen said on Sunday, “and the next one’ll probably play a good amount in the next game.”
Steichen has since decided Richardson will start on Thursday night.
Steichen said Leonard had been “doing a good job” at training camp.
“I think he’s making real good strides,” Steichen said. “I think coming in as a rookie, any rookie quarterback, learning the system, getting the reps, I think he’s taken advantage of a lot of it. I mean, still things to grow and learn from, but he’s been making great strides.”
After the NFL kicked off its preseason with the Los Angeles Chargers’ 34-7 victory over the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game last week, every NFL team will be in action this week, with three games on Thursday, three games on Friday, eight games on Saturday and two games on Sunday.
The Alabama Game of the Week is the Houston Texans-Minnesota Vikings contest on Sunday. The teams’ active rosters include 25 players from Alabama high schools and colleges.
The Week 1 preseason schedule (with all times Central and point spreads from BetMGM):
Thursday
Indianapolis Colts (-6) at Baltimore Ravens, 6 p.m. (NFL Network)
Cincinnati Bengals (-6) at Philadelphia Eagles, 6:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Raiders (-4.5) at Seattle Seahawks, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)
Friday
Detroit Lions (-3.5) at Atlanta Falcons, 6 p.m. (WBRC, WTBM 24.2, WTVY)
Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers (-6.5), 6 p.m. (NFL Network)
Washington Commanders at New England Patriots (-6.5), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
New York Giants (-1.5) at Buffalo Bills, noon (NFL Network)
Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings (-1.5), 3 p.m. (NFL Network)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5), 6 p.m. (WTTO, WDBB)
Dallas Cowboys (-2.5) at Los Angeles Rams, 6 p.m.
Tennessee Titans (-3.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6:30 p.m. (WFNA, WMBB)
Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals (-1.5), 7 p.m.
New York Jets at Green Bay Packers (-2.5), 7 p.m. (NFL Network)
Denver Broncos (-6) at San Francisco 49ers, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears (-3), noon (NFL Network)
New Orleans Saints (-1) at Los Angeles Chargers, 3:05 p.m. (NFL Network, WALA, WBRC, WTBM 24.2)
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OURNFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.