Most NFL fans were shocked when the Indianapolis Colts brought Philip Rivers out of retirement to replace injured quarterback Daniel Jones. It was looked at as an anomaly, a fluke, something that probably will never happen again.
Well, fast forward a few weeks, and the Denver Broncos have punched their ticket to the AFC Championship game. Unfortunately, on their way there, quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken bone in his ankle and will be unable to play for the remainder of the playoffs.
The Broncos could take the safe route and start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in their next game. Or, they could look to Indy for inspiration and make a decision that would rock the sports world. Still, if they were to take that route, one question still looms. What retired quarterback options are even out there?
Three outlandish potential quarterback options for the Denver Broncos
Option 1: Drew Brees
Of all the retired quarterbacks available to replace Bo Nix after his ankle injury, the one that would be the most like the Colts Philip Rivers signing would be Drew Brees. Head coach Sean Payton could potentially have the chance to reunite with his longtime quarterback from their New Orleans days.
It would be something straight out of a movie to see Drew Brees, who retired the same year as Rivers himself, return to play for his old coach and end up winning a Super Bowl. There's no doubt it would be one of the most fantastical stories in all of football history if that were to happen.
Unfortunately, we live in a reality that is, at most times, very unlike a movie. Even if the Broncos were to sign an aging Brees, the team would still have to win the AFC Championship and then go on to win the Super Bowl against two very good teams. We may not know how much (if any) juice Drew Brees still has left in the tank, but it sure would be fun to see him trot out there one more time with Sean Payton.
Option No. 2: Cam Newton
This is another compelling option for the Broncos to consider. It would be the inverse of the Brees scenario in that a 36-year-old Newton most likely is more physically able than a 47-year-old Drew Brees.
The flip side of that is that Brees spent years and years in head coach Sean Payton's offense and would most definitely be better acquainted with the playbook than Newton would. If it comes down to a decision between these two, it would be a question of what traits Payton and the Broncos value more.
Option No. 3: Ryan Tannehill
Yes, Tannehill is not the most exciting option out there. It would be much more flashy to be able to call up someone like Tom Brady to don the orange and blue, but with Brady having an ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, he's unable to sign with any team.
Tannehill was never in the same echelon of quarterbacks as Cam Newton or Drew Brees, but what he always was able to be was a consummate game manager. That could be just what the Broncos need: someone to facilitate and be able to get the ball into the hands of their explosive playmakers.
Tannehill is a year older than Newton at age 37, but he also never played as physically demanding a playstyle as Newton did. With how many hits the high-flying Superman has taken over the years, it's probably a pretty safe bet to say Tannehill's body has held up better as time has worn on.
Tannehill wouldn't be as storybook as a Drew Brees signing, or as flashy as a Cam Newton one, but he may actually be the smartest option should the Broncos choose to go the retired quarterback route. It's simply a matter of what Sean Payton wants in a quarterback for his team.
Obviously, all three of these options (and any others that may be out there) have a major caveat. It takes two to tango, and these quarterbacks retired for a reason. It's fun to speculate, but it could very well end up just being the case that the Broncos trot out Jarrett Stidham for their next game.
Still, while that may be the safe choice, it sure would be fun to see the Broncos take a page out of the Colts' playbook. Yet another reunion between a long-retired quarterback and a familiar head coach would be an amazing storyline to root for. Indy may not have won a game with Philip Rivers, but he sure gave their team some hope.