Arya News - Philip Rivers could play in an NFL game after a five-year absence.
After a five-year absence, Philip Rivers is back in the NFL. The 44-year-old reportedly agreed to join the Indianapolis Colts" practice squad on Tuesday, days after the team lost starter Daniel Jones to an Achilles injury, according to NFL Network"s Ian Rapoport.
Despite not playing since the 2020 NFL season, Rivers" name popped up in rumors Monday, as it was reported the Colts brought in the veteran passer for a workout. That workout apparently went well enough that the Colts decided to sign Rivers to the practice squad despite his age and lack of recent experience in the NFL.
While the move comes as a massive shock considering Rivers" NFL career looked to be long over, the Colts had a few reasons for bringing back the soon-to-be 18-year pro. Rivers has a history playing with Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who served as the Los Angeles Chargers" offensive coordinator when Rivers was with the team. Rivers also has familiarity with the Colts, as his final NFL season came with the team.
Because of that, the Colts believe Rivers" familiarity with Steichen"s offense would allow him to quickly get re-acclimated to the NFL.
The Colts are desperate for help at the position after Jones went down in Week 14 with a season-ending Achilles injury. Jones backup, rookie Riley Leonard, also came out of the team"s 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars with an injury, and is uncertain to play in Week 15 due to the issue. Anthony Richardson, the team"s former first-round pick, remains sidelined after sustaining an eye injury during a "fluke accident" in pre-game warmups in October.
It"s unclear whether Richardson or Leoard would be the team"s preferred starter over Rivers if all three players are healthy. That could be a decision the Colts have to make down the stretch depending on how things shake out in the coming weeks.
If Leonard is unable to go in Week 15, the Colts would essentially need to start a quarterback off the street. Given Rivers" knowledge of the offense, he might be the best option the team has on short notice. The team also has veteran Brett Rypien on its practice squad, so he"s an option to start Week 15 as well.
If Leonard can play in Week 15, Rivers would provide support for the sixth-round rookie, per Rapoport.
While there"s logic in bringing Rivers back, the move also comes with significant risks. Rivers" ability and playing shape are massive question marks after the quarterback has been away from the game for five years.
He still proved to be effective in his final NFL season, completing 68 percent of his passes and throwing 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions with the Colts. That performance was good enough to lead Indianapolis to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. The team, however, lost its first playoff game, falling 27-24 to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round.
But that was five years ago, when Rivers was already considered an old quarterback at age-39. If Rivers is activated, he would become one of the oldest quarterbacks ever to play in the NFL. Only four other quarterbacks — Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, Steve DeBerg and George Blanda — played at age-44 or older.
To really stress the unprecedented nature of Rivers" return, the move adds an interesting wrinkle to his Hall of Fame case. Rivers is currently among the 26 semifinalists for the class of 2026. If Rivers is activated from the practice squad, it would reset his Hall of Fame clock, meaning he wouldn"t be eligible for the honor for another five years. Rivers has the numbers and longevity to warrant a lengthy Hall of Fame debate. While he may not have gotten in this year, his return could take him out of the running for now. If he remains on the practice squad, however, Rivers would keep his 2026 Hall of Fame eligibility.
At 8-5, the Colts are among the biggest surprises and best stories in the NFL this season. Led by a resurgent Jones and a dominant run game led by Jonathan Taylor, the Colts looked like an early contender for the Super Bowl in the AFC.
With Jones down, the team doesn"t want to waste that opportunity. Bringing back Rivers after a five-year absence is a massive risk, but one that could keep the Colts in contention down the stretch.
It could also end in disaster, even if it"s the best move the Colts can make right now.