Colts' Alec Pierce Shockingly Disqualified Against Texans

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce's great afternoon is over after getting into an argument with a referee.

Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) runs with the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce was having his best game of the 2025 season against the Houston Texans with four catches for 132 receiving yards and two TD catches from Riley Leonard.

However, on a red zone play where Pierce caught an incomplete pass in the back of the end zone, he argued with an official that he was pushed out of bounds.

Pierce accidentally bumped into the official, which led to a wild conclusion: a disqualification which will remove Pierce for the rest of today's contest.

Alec Pierce has been disqualified pic.twitter.com/v5QiRjlQj1

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 4, 2026

Up until this point, Pierce was the lone Colts receiver who was pressing and challenging Houston's excellent defense, putting their secondary in a blender throughout the entire divisional clash.

Unfortunately, now Leonard will have to operate the offense and try to obtain the victory without his best receiver at NRG Stadium.

Leonard has played far better than anybody could have expected, dicing up Houston's defense, navigating pressure, hitting receivers with deep balls, and getting the football out of his hands quickly.

It will be something to watch if Leonard can right the ship despite not having Pierce to open up the rest of the passing offense.

Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest - OnSI’s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard (15) stands in the pocket against the Houston Texans during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The fact that Leonard is playing so well despite Jonathan Taylor's horrendous performance is extraordinary.

While the Texans did decide to rest their elite-level defensive talents after the first half, Leonard did serious damage when names like Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr., Jalen Pitre, and Derek Stingley Jr. were still on the field.

Now, the pass-catching trio of Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and tight end Tyler Warren will need to fill the void left behind after Pierce was disqualified.

the rook does it again 👏

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/WPdR7f2kMh

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) January 4, 2026

If Leonard can maintain this level of play for the rest of the game while upsetting the Texans on the road, it will erupt a new narrative that he could be the guy going forward.

While it's fun to see Leonard playing so well, it's a massive stretch for this argument to be presented. Since then, Leonard has thrown an interception to Texans cornerback Alijah Huzzie.

It's getting down to the wire for Indy's final game of the 2025 season, and Leonard will have a massive role in the Colts staying in the fight to pull off a victory to end the year strong.

Expect nothing but pure grit, effort, and excitement from Leonard, a quarterback playing far better than a sixth-rounder so far.