How the Colts signed Philip Rivers out of NFL retirement

indianapolis colts Coach Shane Steichen was still dealing with the devastating loss of his starting quarterback. Daniel Jones When he was blindsided by another QB injury.

Monday morning – after the resulting loss jacksonville jaguars In which Jones – the backup signal-caller – suffered a tear in his right Achilles tendon. riley leonard Reported to have to work due to right knee pain due to the previous day’s game. Now, Leonard’s status was in question.

A few hours later, Steichen shared the news with reporters.

“He came in on his knees [injury] This morning, so we’re working on it right now,” Steichen said, acknowledging he didn’t have more answers to follow-up questions about Leonard.

What Steichen didn’t say is that he had already laid out a potential move that would shock the NFL. long retired quarterback philip riversSteichen, a close friend and one of the most productive quarterbacks in league history, was in talks with the Colts about joining the roster as an emergency option. By that time, Rivers – celebrating his 44th birthday – had already agreed to work out for the team.

About 24 hours later, the Colts added Rivers to their practice squad, making him available to play as soon as this Sunday, if necessary. Seattle Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and recent grandfather, who has not played since 2020, immediately becomes NFL’s oldest player He even tries to turn the clock back.

How did it all come together? What options did the Colts consider? And how did they reach their final decision? Interviews with team sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, painted a clear picture of one of this season’s most shocking transactions.

At its core, this is the story of a team trying to maintain its playoff hopes after recently making a blockbuster (and expensive) trade for a cornerback. Sauce Gardner,

A few weeks ago, the 7-1 Colts looked poised to win their first AFC South title since 2014, thanks to a talented roster and their most viable quarterback option since. Andrew LuckNow, the Colts — having lost four of their last five games and ravaged by injuries — are addressing a desperate situation by making a desperate phone call,

This idea seemed crazy to many people.

“Of course it does. But does he give us a better chance to win, that’s the question,” a team source said of Rivers.

Apparently, the Colts, who are now 8-5, believe the answer is yes. Here’s how they worked through their quarterback crisis and landed on Rivers as a potential solution.

Jones was having a career year with Indianapolis. But the Colts learned almost immediately that his Achilles had torn and their season was over. Leonard entered Sunday’s game and fought and earned the respect of his teammates and coaches. Team sources were impressed with how they handled live action in the Jacksonville rain. The Colts lost 36–19, falling out of the playoff standings for the time being. But with four games left, quitting the season was not an option due to a serious quarterback condition.

Shortly after Leonard’s injury was discovered – team sources told ESPN he was considered “week-to-week” – Steichen reached out to Rivers. The two talk weekly, a habit that has continued since they last worked together in 2019. Steichen was in his sixth season. los angeles chargers‘ The staff at the time was growing close to Rivers during the coach’s early NFL years.

Grandpa Phil swinging on a rock 🚀 pic.twitter.com/rtZ9vavBzu

– NFL (@NFL) 9 December 2025

Team sources said that when Steichen first approached Rivers, he immediately agreed to the idea. It’s unclear whether the pair had ever casually discussed the idea before, but according to a team source, the Colts have not had formal conversations internally about pursuing Rivers.

However, a separate team source believes the possibility of Rivers as an emergency option was at least an informal consideration among some people in the building. Anthony Richardson Sr.Jones’ backup and the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, went down with an orbital fracture in October. According to team sources, the Colts explored trade possibilities after Richardson’s injury, but nothing came to fruition.

Richardson is still on injured reserve, but he could return this season.

But the Colts couldn’t wait.

“It was like, ‘If s— goes south, will he be ready?’ Said the source of initial thoughts on the reunification of Rivers. “Shane and Phillip are close, so I don’t think it would have really surprised anyone.”

According to a team source, the main conversations between Steichen and Rivers focused on whether the move made sense for both parties. Rivers has a comfortable life on the Alabama coast, spending time with his 10 children and new grandson. The Colts also could have chosen more traditional options, although there wasn’t much to choose from at this late stage of the season.

“There are less options,” a team source said. “He knows the system, so why not? What’s the point?”

The Colts offered Rivers something familiar: a return to where he played his last NFL season. And that 2020 campaign was one to remember. Rivers was released from the Chargers after the 2019 season – his 16th year with the team – after throwing 20 interceptions and posting the second-lowest QBR (50.5) of his career.

But he found success in Indianapolis, throwing 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Colts clinched a wild-card spot and made the playoffs before losing in a first-round meeting. buffalo billThis remains the team’s last playoff appearance,

One potential issue that did not materialize was Rivers’ Hall of Fame candidacy. Rivers is a semifinalist to join in 2026 — his first year of eligibility — and if he is promoted to the Colts’ active roster, he will have to restart the five-year waiting period following his retirement. This will delay his candidacy until 2031.

I thought it would be a good time to bring back some Philip Rivers trash talk pic.twitter.com/sIoiHtzBjN

– NFL (@NFL) 9 December 2025

“I give him a lot of credit and it says a lot about who he is as a person,” a team source said. “I don’t know if he would have come in right away, but eventually he will come in.”

Rivers has always been extremely confident. he was one of the league famous trash talkersEven though he did so without taking oath. And that confidence has not diminished.

“We all know who he is,” a team source said. “He’s not afraid of a challenge. He looks forward to it.”

With that, Rivers agreed to go to Indianapolis for workouts. That workout Monday night helped solidify the Colts’ mindset.

The workout included standard fare, like most things quarterbacks face in the game: throwing on the go, run-pass options and throwing the entire route tree. Team officials came away impressed with Rivers’ hand. According to team officials who watched him throw, it looked exactly the same as it had years earlier.

Multiple team sources replied, “He can still swing it,” or a similar statement. Another team source said, “I’d still take him at this age of 22 to 23.” [backups],

Rivers has been training at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where he has coached since 2021, team sources said. His son Gunner is a distinguished Class of 2027 quarterback prospects In school.

But predictable concerns remain. For example, can rivers avoid congestion? It’s extremely important if Rivers ends up playing Sunday, as the Seahawks are fourth in the league with 41 sacks. Seattle’s defense also ranked second in scoring, allowing 17.4 points per game. As a team source said, Rivers’ quick release and fearlessness in the pocket will help, but how he responds to an NFL pass rush at this age is an unknown variable.

The quarterback is also not in optimal shape yet, as one might expect.

A team source said, “He needs to get in football shape, but there’s no doubt he can throw it.”

This should come as no surprise for a player who ranks seventh in league history with 63,440 passing yards and sixth with 421 touchdown passes.

Will Rivers add to those totals as the Colts move down the field?

This process will begin in earnest from Wednesday. The Colts were originally scheduled for a walk-through on Wednesday, but that was changed on Tuesday when they announced plans for a formal practice. Sources say how Rivers handles his first week of practice will determine whether he plays on Sunday.

This is now a very real possibility, making clear a scenario that seemed unthinkable just two days ago.