Colts sign grandfather Rivers, 44, out of retirement

Philip Rivers has come out of retirement to rejoin the Indianapolis Colts, five years after the 44-year-old grandfather last played in the NFL.

The Colts faced a sudden need to fill their quarterback room after picking up two injuries during Sunday’s 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Daniel Jones was ruled out with a season-ending Achilles injury and his replacement, third-string rookie Riley Leonard, picked up a knee problem.

Back-up quarterback Anthony Richardson was already out with a facial injury, so Rivers worked out for the Colts on Monday – his 44th birthday.

The father of 10, who has been serving as the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama, has now been added to the team’s practice squad.

That makes Rivers the oldest current player in the NFL, surpassing Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who turned 42 last week.

After spending the first 16 years of his NFL career with the Chargers franchise, Rivers joined the Colts in 2020 and led them to an 11-5 record, falling at the first hurdle in the play-offs.

The Colts, who were this season’s pacesetters before losing their past three games to slip to 8-5, have promoted Brett Rypien from their practice squad to their active roster, making the 29-year-old eligible for Sunday’s game at the Seattle Seahawks.

Rivers is seventh on the NFL’s all-time list for passing yards (63,440) and sixth for touchdown passes (421).

Colts head coach Shane Steichen served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach while Rivers was with the Chargers.

Rivers’ eldest child is two months older than Colts rookie Leonard and leading up to this year’s draft – when he was a sixth-round pick by Indianapolis – the 23-year-old worked with Rivers as the veteran lives in his hometown of Fairhope, Alabama.

Rivers’ return could also affect his Hall of Fame status. Players become eligible five years after ending their career and, in his first year of eligibility, Rivers has been named a semi-finalist for the class of 2026.

Analysis by NFL pundit Phoebe Schecter

I love it. I think it’s fantastic. I mean, it says a lot about what this league thinks and feels about their current quarterbacks, right, because he’s not played for so long, and yet you think he’s going to be the best one for the job to be able to just pop back in.

You know, the Colts saw what happened with Joe Flacco coming off the couch [at the Browns in 2023], so I think they’re thinking that he could bring a little extra spark, but even having him in the practice squad, they could see where he’s at speed-wise, decision-wise.

Imagine if Philip Rivers is the reason that the Colts make a deep play-off run. I mean, that would be the most phenomenal storyline.