Philip Rivers is one of 26 modern-era semifinalists for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026. The Hall is expected to announce the list of finalists later this month.
The rivers, however, training for the Colts Tuesday.
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It’s unclear what the chances are of Rivers coming out of retirement. He last played in 2020, which is why he is in his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
So what happens if Rivers chooses to sign with the Colts?
According to a Pro Football Hall of Fame spokesperson, Rivers’ clock would be reset if he signed to the Colts’ active roster. He would not be eligible for induction until at least 2031, and the Hall would remove him from eligible players in the modern era.
This only gets complicated if Rivers signs to the team’s practice squad and remains there for an extended period of time without being activated to the active roster or promoted to the game day roster. In this case, he would still be eligible for the Hall of Fame.
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This could create a situation where the Hall of Fame ends up with 14 finalists from the modern era.
“If he signed on the practice squad, and it’s his status on the team (and therefore still eligible for Hall) for an extended period of time to the point where we announce the final 15, and then he becomes active, he will opt out and we’ll have 14,” the spokesperson said.
If the Colts sign Rivers, the expectation is that it will be for him to play and try to save the team’s season.
According to Stephen Holder of ESPN, the Colts have not yet decided whether to sign Rivers, and Rivers has not yet determined whether he wants to play.
