Philip Rivers Returns to NFL After Retirement

Philip Rivers hung up his cleats after the 2020 NFL season, having played 16 games—his only year with the Indianapolis Colts. Fast forward five years, the Colts, faced with a major setback as their starting quarterback Daniel Jones sustained a season-ending injury, reached out to Rivers about the possibility of unretiring. At 44, Rivers has now joined the Colts’ practice squad.

Until recently, Rivers thought his playing days were behind him. “I wasn’t holding on to any hope of ever playing again. I thought the ship had sailed,” he reflected, reaffirming his stance from earlier this week. Rivers spent 16 seasons with the Chargers before joining Indianapolis.

He then shared, “But something about it excited me. This is one of those situations where the door opens, and you either step through it or walk away. There’s definitely a risk, but the only way to know is to take a shot.” Rivers mentioned that when Jones fell during a game—coincidentally while watching a Colts matchup—he pondered whether he might get a call from Coach Shane Steichen.

“When that happened, I thought to myself, ‘What just occurred?’ As a quarterback, I admit I was thinking, ‘Will Shane reach out to me?’” The competitive spirit within him stirred at the thought.

Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowler, will continue to don the No. 17, a number he has worn for years, thanks to Jones.

He expressed concern for Jones, stating, “I saw the injury firsthand. I feel terrible for Daniel. When he was 17, he reached out to me with a kind message. That meant something to me.”

The Colts are also dealing with issues regarding quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr.’s health. Richardson, the fourth overall choice in the 2023 NFL Draft, landed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured orbit during warmups back in October.

This Sunday, the Colts will head to Seattle to take on the Seahawks in a Week 15 matchup.