Five years after what looked like a storybook ending to his NFL career, Philip Rivers is back in the headlines—and, remarkably, back in uniform. The 44-year-old quarterback, who last took a snap for the Indianapolis Colts in their wild-card playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills in January 2021, agreed on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to join the Colts’ practice squad. The move, confirmed by multiple outlets including NFL Network and ESPN, follows a whirlwind week for the Colts, whose quarterback depth chart has been decimated by injuries as the team clings to playoff hopes in a topsy-turvy AFC South.
Rivers’ return is as improbable as it is intriguing. Since retiring from the NFL, he’s been busy coaching high school football at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama, amassing a 44-16 record, including a standout 13-1 campaign in 2025. Off the field, he’s been a hands-on father to his ten children, including Gunner Rivers, a highly touted quarterback prospect in the 2027 recruiting class. But the lure of the NFL—and the Colts’ dire straits—proved irresistible. After a Monday workout in Indianapolis, Rivers inked a deal to join the practice squad, making him eligible to be elevated to the active roster on short notice.
How did the Colts get here? It’s been a season of both promise and adversity. At 8-5, Indianapolis remains in the playoff hunt, trailing the 9-4 Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. The team started hot, riding a resurgent Daniel Jones and a powerful run game led by Jonathan Taylor to a 7-1 start. But the wheels began to wobble in recent weeks, culminating in a crushing 36-19 loss to the Jaguars last Sunday—a defeat that saw Jones suffer a season-ending Achilles injury in the first quarter. According to head coach Shane Steichen, “He came in with the knee this morning. So we’re working through that right now. That’s what I got for you.”
Jones’ injury thrust rookie backup Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, into the spotlight. Leonard completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception, and added a rushing score. But disaster struck again: Leonard sustained a posterior cruciate ligament sprain in the same contest, leaving his status for Week 15 in serious doubt. The Colts’ other option, former first-rounder Anthony Richardson, has been sidelined since October 12 with an orbital-bone fracture suffered in a freak pregame accident. Richardson, who started 15 games in his first two seasons, has not yet been cleared for football activities. "It’s very delicate," Steichen noted about Richardson’s recovery. "And so he’s just resting it, and then once the doctors and the trainers clear him to be activated, that’s where it’s at right now. So we’re just still healing up."
With the quarterback cupboard nearly bare, the Colts turned to Rivers—a player with deep ties to both the franchise and Steichen, who previously served as Rivers’ offensive coordinator with the Chargers. The familiarity with Steichen’s system and the Colts’ playbook was a deciding factor in the decision to bring Rivers back, despite his age and time away from the league. If Leonard cannot suit up this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, Rivers could be thrust into the starting role, making him just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to start a game at age 44 or older, joining the likes of Tom Brady, Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, and Steve DeBerg. But unlike those legends, Rivers would be doing so after a staggering 1,800-day gap between starts—a feat without precedent in league history.
Rivers’ last NFL action came in that hard-fought playoff loss to Buffalo, where he completed 27 of 46 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns, nearly pulling off a late-game miracle. Over the 2020 regular season, he completed 68% of his passes for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, posting a 97 passer rating and guiding the Colts to an 11-5 record and a postseason berth. Those numbers, along with his career totals—ranking sixth in touchdown passes and seventh in passing yards in NFL history—cement his Hall of Fame credentials. In fact, Rivers is currently a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. However, if he is activated to the Colts’ 53-man roster or plays in a game, his Hall eligibility would reset, delaying his possible induction to 2031.
“He’s got the numbers, the longevity, and the leadership,” said an NFL analyst on ESPN. “But this is an unprecedented return. No one’s ever come back after five years away and started at this age.” The move is not without risk. Rivers, who signed a one-day contract to retire with the Los Angeles Chargers just this past July, has not faced NFL-level competition in half a decade. While he’s stayed sharp coaching and mentoring young players, the leap from high school sidelines to NFL Sundays is monumental. The Colts, however, are in a bind. With Leonard questionable and Richardson still recovering, only practice squad veteran Brett Rypien stands between Rivers and a potential start against Seattle.
For Rivers, the decision to return isn’t just about unfinished business. It’s about seizing a rare opportunity to help a team he knows well, in a system he’s comfortable with, and perhaps, to add one more chapter to a storied career. As for the Colts, the gamble is clear. With the playoffs still within reach and the Jaguars only a game ahead, Indianapolis is betting that Rivers’ experience and football IQ can steady the ship—at least until the quarterback room gets healthier.
Fans and analysts alike are buzzing about what comes next. Will Rivers actually take the field, or will Leonard recover in time to hold down the fort? Could Richardson make a surprise return if cleared by doctors? For now, the Colts are keeping their options open and their hopes alive. The team travels to Seattle for a crucial matchup against the Seahawks on Sunday, December 14, a game that could define their season—and, perhaps, rewrite a little NFL history.
Whatever happens next, one thing’s certain: Philip Rivers’ unexpected return has given the Colts—and the league—a jolt of excitement. Whether it’s a fairy-tale comeback or a one-week wonder, all eyes will be on Indianapolis as this remarkable story continues to unfold.
