The Indianapolis Colts still have a chance, and Philip Rivers is going to give the team that chance. Getting to the postseason matters, of course, because once there, any team has a puncher's chance. But the Colts haven't tasted a Super Bowl win since 2007, and Rivers never has.
That is the case for the quarterback, even though he was likely on the verge of being voted for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame before choosing to come out of retirement for a team that was in dire need. The Colts have a good roster, and Rivers knows it.
So does Antonio Gates. Gates played with Rivers with the Los Angeles Chargers, and each helped the other be great. Gates was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025. He is now 45 years old, a year older than Rivers, and not about to come out of retirement. He understands why Rivers would, though.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers still has unfinished business to complete
According to a talk Gates had with The Athletic's (subscription required) James Boyd, Philip Rivers wants the one thing he didn't get earlier in his career. The one thing the quarterback couldn't get before he retired in 2020 was playing one season with the Colts.
Gates said, "The cherry on top is the opportunity to win. If the Colts weren’t in a position to be a postseason contender, I don’t think this would be a topic of discussion. … He is still trying to win a ring."
That, of course, speaks volumes about Rivers' will to succeed and his reason for returning. After news first broke that the quarterback would be returning, there were questions about whether he was coming back to simply help backup QB Riley Leonard succeed. The truth was Rivers was never coming out of retirement to sit on the bench. He wanted to win a Super Bowl.
The implication is that the quarterback believes the Indianapolis Colts are close enough to winning a championship, no matter how elite the QB play is. Philip Rivers is no longer capable of being an elite quarterback, but he is capable of managing head coach Shane Steichen's offense efficiently. That might be enough to steal a victory, and then another.
Indy still has a chance for the postseason. Ideally, the Colts would win their remaining three games. If they lose to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, Indianapolis still has a chance for the postseason. But the Colts shouldn't be ruled out against San Francisco. Philip Rivers won't let them. He has too much left to do.