Philip Rivers considered a return to Colts after Carson Wentz trade
Retired quarterback, Philip Rivers, admitted he considered returning to the Indianapolis Colts after the team traded away Carson Wentz.
When the 2022 NFL season starts, the Indianapolis Colts will have their fifth starting quarterback in as many years. One of the previous starting quarterbacks was Philip Rivers.
Rivers was the starter for Indianapolis during the 2020 season and he recently thought he might have had to reprise the role of the Colts quarterback.
In an interview with Al.com, Rivers admitted that when Indy traded away Carson Wentz in March, Rivers “kind of perked up just a little and thought, What if? What if they called?”
However, the Colts were able to make a move for Matt Ryan in what Rivers calls a “great trade.”
Philip Rivers' PFF grade in his final NFL season ranked 17th out of 39 QBs pic.twitter.com/9jB9bYP6qX
— PFF IND Colts (@PFF_Colts) January 20, 2021
Philip Rivers was ready for the Colts to call
This isn’t the only time Rivers thought he would have to step in and help the Colts. His name was floated throughout last season as a possible candidate for teams that were having quarterback struggles, but Rivers said he only would’ve come out of retirement for Indy.
"If something had happened and the Colts were in a bind, I would have done it. But it didn’t, and I wasn’t pulling for it to happen. Still, it was fun to stay ready and throw routes again, but that time has passed."
Rivers never got the call last season as Carson Wentz started all 17 games and he didn’t get the call this offseason either as Indy was able to acquire Matt Ryan.
However, that’s all right with Rivers, who is comfortable with his decision to retire and begin his career as a high school football head coach.
His one season with the Colts was his 17th year in the NFL and the only season he didn’t play with the Chargers. During that season, Rivers threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
He helped Indianapolis to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance.
Many have compared the Ryan acquisition to when the Colts signed Rivers. Both quarterbacks joined late in their careers but were believed to be the right piece to help.
Ryan, who is younger than Rivers and intends to play more than one season in Indy, is hoping he can help Indy win the division and go deeper in the playoffs than the team did in the one season with Rivers.
