Well, here we go — break out the bolo tie and dust off the playbook, because Philip Rivers might just be walking back into an NFL locker room… at age 44. Yes, that Philip Rivers.
The guy with the high-octane arm, the trash talk without the profanity, and about a dozen kids. According to multiple reports, the Indianapolis Colts are planning to work him out, and if things line up, he could be signed to the practice squad.
Now, in a normal year, this would sound like some fan-fiction fever dream cooked up by a nostalgic Chargers fan. But the Colts’ quarterback room right now? It looks more like an urgent care clinic. Daniel Jones, who was having a career renaissance in Indy, tore his Achilles in Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville.
Backup Riley Leonard, the rookie out of Duke, is nursing a knee issue — and while he’s expected to start in Seattle, the margin for error is basically gone. Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson is still out with a broken orbital bone, and Brett Rypien is hanging out on the practice squad like a life preserver no one wants to use.
Enter Philip Rivers. The man hasn’t thrown an NFL pass since 2020, but he’s been keeping sharp coaching high school football in Alabama — and not just showing up, either. He led St. Michael Catholic to the state semi-finals this year, so the competitive fire is clearly still burning.
The Colts, according to ESPN, believe Rivers could give them a shot at staying alive in a brutal AFC playoff race, especially with a gauntlet of games coming up against the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans.
Let’s not forget — Rivers’ last NFL season, in Indy no less, saw him throw for over 4,000 yards and guide the team to the postseason. That wasn’t a farewell tour; that was a guy who still knew how to spin it. And if anyone can come off the sidelines at 44 and drop dimes like it’s 2010, it’s probably Philip Rivers.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter isn’t giving away much, but his comments about adversity and depth being tested feel like code for “we need help… fast.” The Colts were flying high at 8-2, but after three straight losses, they’re now teetering on the edge of postseason contention.
It’s all hands on deck, and maybe that includes a veteran who knows the system, knows the stakes, and isn’t afraid to sling the ball around with some fire.
It’s a long shot, sure. But so was a 44-year-old QB coming off a high school sideline to potentially save a team’s season. If Rivers suits up, it’s going to be must-see TV. Because in this league? Stranger things have happened.
