Philip Rivers last played in an NFL game on January 9, 2021 for the Indianapolis Colts in a 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills. His last throw was a Hail Mary.
This is what Quarterback-needy Colts reportedly signed Rivers to their practice squad on Tuesday it seems.
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He turned 44 on Monday. It’s been almost five years since he took his last shot in the championship. Now a grandfather, Rivers spent much of his retirement coaching football at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama.
That’s where the Colts’ rookie quarterback Riley Leonard is from. After Daniel Jones’ exceptional year ended prematurely with a torn Achilles tendon In the first quarter of a 36-19 loss to the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend, Leonard stepped in, with 2023 No. 4 pick Anthony Richardson Sr. still on injured reserve due to a orbital fracture he suffered in a pregame warmup accident in Week 6.
Leonard performed admirably in Jones’ absence, however, he reported his own injury on Monday. The sixth-round pick, who led Notre Dame to a national championship appearance last season, is dealing with a knee issue that calls into question his status for Sunday’s road game against the Seattle Seahawks.
In desperation mode, the 8-5 and playoff-hopeful Colts reached out to Rivers. The team treated him Monday evening, according to The Athleticwho reported his practice squad signing on Tuesday.
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The only other healthy Colts quarterback on the roster right now is journeyman Brett Rypien, who has four career starts since going undrafted out of Boise State in 2019. Rivers, meanwhile, is an eight-time Pro Bowler and an NFL Comeback Player of the Year who has 240 career starts and has already pushed Indianapolis to the playoffs once before.
Regardless of whether he starts Sunday against the Seahawks, his return to the NFL is remarkable. These numbers paint a picture of Rivers’ spectacular comeback.
13…current NFL head coaches Rivers are older than
Yeah, that’s true. Rivers is currently older than more than a third of the league’s head coaches, including interims.
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In fact, he’s older than both head coaches in a game he could play on Sunday. Colts head coach Shane Steichen is 40 years old and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is 38 years old.
Rivers is also older than:
Kellen Moore, New Orleans Saints (37)
Mike Kafka, New York Giants (38)
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bear (39)
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams (39)
Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars (40)
Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings (40)
DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans (41)
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals (42)
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (42)
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins (42)
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns (43)
Also note: Rivers is older than Colts offensive coordinator Bob Cooter (41). Rivers spent the first 16 seasons of his career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. They selected the North Carolina State product with the No. 4 pick in the 2004 draft. At the time, Colts center Tanor Bortolini was 1 year and 10 months old, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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10… children fathered by Rivers, including one who is older than Riley Leonard
With Rivers at quarterback, he can field a full 11-man offense in the Turkey Bowl with his own kids. He has 10: seven daughters and three sons. The oldest of the group, Halle, was born in July 2002, two months before Colts rookie quarterback Riley Leonard was born, and she now has a son.
As Rivers told Jon Gruden in Maythere is a world in which Rivers’ youngest son – born October 2023 – could throw a touchdown pass to Rivers’ grandson.
Rivers is one of 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class. the first time he is eligible for the Hall.
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That said, if he is elevated to the Colts’ active roster, his application clock will be reset, meaning he will have to wait five more years to be rostered.
But if he remains on the practice squad, his eligibility schedule will not be affected.
8…years Rivers spent with Shane Steichen earlier in his career
Rivers and his new head coach go back a long way. For half of the signal-caller’s tenure with the Chargers, he overlapped with Shane Steichen, who rose through the coaching ranks within the organization. Steichen was a defensive assistant from 2011 to 2012, offensive quality control coach from 2014 to 2015 and quarterbacks coach from 2016 to 2019. He also served as the team’s interim offensive coordinator during the 2019 campaign, Rivers’ final go-around with the Chargers before spending a season with the Colts.
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Additionally, according to former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt, who now works as a color analyst for CBS, Rivers ran the same offense as the Colts this season while coaching St. Michael Catholic this season, with his oldest son, Gunner, under center. By the way, Gunner is the No. 7 quarterback in the 2027 recruiting class, according to Rivals industry rankings.
4…other NFL quarterbacks started a game at 44 or older
Rivers would become the fifth in that class if he’s moved to the active roster and gets the nod for a Colts team battling for a playoff spot in a crowded AFC field. according to ESPN’s Evan Kaplan.
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He would join the rare air occupied by Tom Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Vinny Testaverde (Carolina Panthers), Steve DeBerg (Atlanta Falcons) and Warren Moon (Kansas City Chiefs).
Rivers was asked during his 2020 Colts introductory press conference how long he planned to play.
“I’m not going to get carried away. I don’t think you’ll see me in Tom Brady’s booth,” Rivers said at the time. by Jim Ayello of The Athletic.
Brady was 45 when he said goodbye to the NFL for good. Minds can change – clearly.
As for what Rivers does next, the Colts have four games left in the regular season. They prepare for a challenge consisting of games against the 10-3 Seahawks, 9-4 49ers, 9-4 Jaguars and 8-5 Texans.
8…quarterbacks who have started for the Colts since Rivers’ last game with the team
There has been a revolving door at the position since Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement before the 2019 season. The Colts opted for short-term rentals like Rivers until they made a big move by drafting Richardson in 2023. That experiment hasn’t panned out thus far.
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Although it looked like they scored when acquiring Jones last offseason, the injury bug had other plans.
Now, Rivers could be back in the saddle. Just look at this list, Dad:
4…quarterbacks who threw for over 300 yards in the playoffs in their last NFL game – a list that currently includes Rivers
Does Rivers still have he? That would be something. He certainly held his own during the 2020 season with the Colts. That year, he came out with a bang, throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns, albeit in a three-point loss to a young Josh Allen and his surging Bills.
Rivers, according to NFL senior researcher Dante Koplowitz-Flemingis currently one of four players in league history to have a 300-yard playoff passing performance in their final NFL game.
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The others are Tom Brady (2022 wild-card round), John Elway (Super Bowl XXXIII during the 1998 season) and Joe Montana (1994 wild-card round), according to Koplowitz-Fleming.
It’s no wonder teams have used Rivers as an emergency quarterback for years now. The Athletic’s Zak Keefer reported Monday that the Colts considered bringing Rivers out of retirement during the 2021 season when then-starter Carson Wentz tested positive for COVID-19.
Then there is the story of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is preparing to turn to Rivers if his team reaches the Super Bowl without a reasonable option at quarterback at the end of the 2023 season.. That year, San Francisco dealt with a series of injuries at the position, including an elbow injury to Purdy that derailed the Niners’ NFC Championship chances against the Eagles.
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6,772… number of fans who would have attended Rivers’ last NFL game
Speaking of that wild card loss to the Bills, the paid attendance would have been 6,722 at Highmark Stadium due to COVID-19 protocols at the time.
Rivers’ final touchdown pass was to tight end Jack Doyle, who retired after the 2021 season.
Yeah, it’s been a while.
