Colts Consider Bringing Back Philip Rivers
The Colts are exploring their options after hosting 44-year-old Philip Rivers for a workout.
This move comes as the team scrambles to salvage their season following Daniel Jones’ devastating Achilles injury. On Monday, news emerged about Rivers’ visit, catching many in the NFL off guard, especially since initial reports indicated he was set to work out the next day.
According to Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated, the team is “looking into it” and believes there’s a “good chance” that a deal could happen.
Interestingly, Rivers just celebrated his 44th birthday, and he hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2020 season, which was his single year with the Colts after a long career with the Chargers. Nowadays, he coaches at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where his son, Gunner, is a promising four-star quarterback prospect for the Class of 2027.
Currently, the Colts are in a bit of a bind; their No. 4 overall pick, Anthony Richardson, is sidelined due to a fractured orbit. Meanwhile, sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard—who also hails from Fairhope and was coached by Rivers before the draft—might be the one to start against the Seahawks this Sunday, assuming he recovers from a minor knee injury.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen has a solid history with Rivers, having worked with him for eight of his nine seasons on the Chargers’ coaching staff, including four as quarterbacks coach. This familiarity might ease the transition should they choose to move forward together.
Jones, who signed a one-year, $14 million contract during the offseason, was experiencing a resurgence this year, and the Colts had been a pleasant surprise with an 8-2 record last month. But things have taken a turn; they’ve dropped three consecutive games, including a recent loss to the Jaguars, who clinched the AFC South. Now, the Colts find themselves out of playoff contention after losing a critical tiebreaker to the Texans.
Looking ahead, Indianapolis has a tough road to the postseason, facing a daunting schedule that includes a trip to Seattle followed by home games against the 49ers and Jaguars, capping it all off with a road matchup against the Texans.
