The Indianapolis Colts needed a quarterback in 2025 after Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon in Week 14. As fans know, instead of turning to rookie Riley Leonard to be QB1, Indy was able to talk Philip Rivers out of retirement, and he immediately started.
Before coming back, though, Rivers not only spoke with head coach Shane Steichen, as the two had worked together previously with the Los Angeles Chargers, but also with former Colts head coach Frank Reich. Reich coached Rivers with the Chargers as well, and also the only previous season Rivers played in Indy.
Speaking on the Jack Doyle Podcast about the doubt that he could return successfully to the NFL after a five-year layoff, "I had a conversation with (Reich) a few hours before I said 'I'm going for it...So Frank, you've heard everything I've wrestled with, so why do it?' It was a memory I'll always have, and his answer was, 'Because you can.' And I was like, 'You're dang right, I can!'"
Philip Rivers sought the counsel of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich before he returned
To be sure, Rivers wasn't physically at his best when he played with Indy last season. He's never had the strongest arm, and his ability to throw the ball down the field seemed limited. He also was never one to run well, but thankfully the Indianapolis offensive line was good enough to keep him clean most of the time.
The other part of that is that the quarterback has always had a high-end football IQ, so while he wasn't throwing the ball deep often and he wasn't picking up many first downs with his legs, he understood the concepts of Steichen's offense and was able to keep himself from getting hit. He also did just enough to keep Indy in most of his three starts.
Even if Daniel Jones had been playing, the team might not have been more successful. The gauntlet that Rivers played through was a difficult one.
The Colts barely lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, were soundly defeated by the playoff-bound San Francisco 49ers (though Indy's offense scored 27 points), and then lost a tough one to the eventual AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars. Three playoff teams in three weeks, and two of the games were close.
Years from 2025, Indianapolis Colts fans will remember the return of Philip Rivers. What will mostly be forgotten is that the team didn't make the playoffs in the same season. The emotional connection to the losses won't be as fresh, but the fun of having Rivers behind center for a few games will remain.
2025 will almost certainly be the last games football fans see Rivers play in the NFL. He was a good enough player and human being to give it one more go, though, and he almost snuck in a win or two. Lesser quarterbacks wouldn't have come close to doing the same.
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