Colts Signing Philip Rivers
- Rivers joins Colts practice squad, could start vs Seahawks due to QB injuries.
- Colts banking on Rivers' mental acuity to overcome physical limitations after 3-year absence.
- Colts need 2 wins in final 4 games to end 4-year playoff drought, Rivers' last Colts playoff was 2020.
INDIANAPOLIS – Call it desperate. Call it entertaining. Call it frightening. Call it genius.
But the Indianapolis Colts, needing to likely win at least 2 of their final 4 games for any playoff consideration, could very well be turning to 44-year-old Philip Rivers to end one of the NFL’s longest current postseason droughts.
Sunday will mark 1,800 days since Rivers last threw a pass in an NFL game.
And it’s quite possible the Colts will have him as their starting quarterback, facing a Seahawks team that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in their last two games.
For now, Rivers is joining the Colts practice squad. Teams are allowed to elevate two players off their practice squad weekly to play in that week’s game (can only elevate each player a maximum of 3 times).
This gives the Colts two “healthy” QBs (Rivers and Brett Rypien), out of 5 in the building (Daniel Jones-Achilles, Anthony Richardson Sr.-orbital fracture, Riley Leonard-knee).
Leonard’s knee injury is something the Colts must fully clear up before deeming a starter for Sunday.
For Leonard to be effective though, that leg component is a vital part of him having any success.
While Rypien has started 4 career games (3 since Rivers last played) and has played in an NFL game this season (with the Bengals in September), he hasn’t thrown a pass in a game since 2023.
That leaves Rivers, with the Colts banking on a reuniting with Shane Steichen and the pairing producing some elite level chess matching to overcome the obvious physical and cardio questions.
One of Rivers’ greatest attributes as a quarterback is his mental acumen. It’s a major reason why he’s eligible to go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as early as 2026.
But having not played in an NFL game since 2020, the questions about where a 44-year-old Rivers is at can’t be ignored.
Is the velocity in that right arm ready for a potentially rainy 50-degree Sunday in Seattle, facing one of the best defenses in all of football?
Never known to ever create plays with his legs, just how much of a statue will Rivers be in a pocket that is likely to have a rookie stating his first career game at right tackle?
When the top 3 quarterbacks on your roster are injured though, and the calendar says Week 15, crazy ideas don’t seem as crazy.
Ever since last playing for the Colts in the 2020 season, Rivers has never completely closed the door on a late-season return.
He had some flirtation with the Colts late in the 2021 season, as Carson Wentz was struggling. And the 49ers explored Rivers as a playoff possibility in 2023, as QB injuries left them in a dire situation. The Saints and Rivers also discussed him returning at some point.
Rivers and Steichen were together in San Diego from 2014-19. The two remain close, talking frequently. Knowing Rivers, his immense familiarity with this Colts offense is something he has not forgotten.
Since his playing days are (were?) over, Rivers has moved back to Alabama, serving as the head coach at Saint Michael’s high school.
He’s actually formed a close mentoring relationship with Leonard, who hails from a similar area.
Ironically, the last time the Colts made the playoffs, it was with Rivers slinging it during the 2020 COVID season.
Since, the Colts have missed the playoffs in 4 straight seasons, the fourth longest active streak in the NFL.
At 8-5 the Colts are still in the playoff hunt. They’ll likely need at least two wins in the final four weeks (at Seahawks, 49ers, jaguars and at Texans) to have a playoff shot.
For a team having lost 4 of 5, and with a trio of quarterback injuries here, they have called a grandpa to restore life into their season.
In fact, Rivers (44 years old) is older than both head coaches in Sunday’s Colts/Seahawks matchup (Shane Steichen-40, Mike McDonald-38).
A walk-through awaits Wednesday.
Practices will take place Thursday and Friday.
Assuming those go well, is it really Grandpa Phil to the rescue?
Colts Signing Philip Rivers was originally published on 1075thefan.com
