Philip Rivers said he has no regrets about coming out of retirement at 44 years old despite losing all three of his starts and knowing that Sunday might have been his final one.
The Colts, who were already eliminated from playoff position, lost their sixth consecutive game with Sunday’s 23-17 setback against Jacksonville to fall to 8-8. Coach Shane Steichen said after the game that he will decide by Tuesday whether to start rookie Riley Leonard in Indianapolis’ season finale at the Houston Texans.
Another potential option is Anthony Richardson, who remains on injured reserve but has participated in limited practice the past two weeks as he recovers from an eye injury.
Despite being unable to salvage the Colts’ season, Rivers said he would make the same decision all over again.
“I’m gonna be on board to do what’s best for the guys,” Rivers said. “If this is the last one, shoot, I told you guys I wasn’t gonna have any regrets about coming back, and I don’t.
“Other than us not winning, right?”
The Colts surprisingly turned to Rivers following a season-ending torn Achilles suffered by Daniel Jones and with Richardson already on IR. Rivers, who has been coaching high school football in Alabama, had not played in the NFL since January 2021.
“If it’s the last one, it’s the last one,” Rivers said. “I thought the last one was walking off the field in Buffalo (in 2021). We’re walking up that tunnel and I was fine with it. And that one had tears, and those few days after it — and I was at peace with that being the last one.
“So certainly, if it is, I got three bonus games that I never saw coming and couldn’t be more thankful that I got the opportunity.”
Rivers has completed 63.0% of his passes for 544 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions while posting an 80.2 passer rating.
“Him coming out one last time and fighting like crazy — it was impressive to see,” Steichen said. “And him being in the locker room with the guys, his fight, his character, his passion for the game — inspirational to a lot of people, not just our players, but people around the world watching football. It was pretty cool.”
Rivers was a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist prior to embarking on the comeback. His candidacy now resets and he will next be eligible for induction in 2031 due to the five-year waiting period after retirement.
Rivers spent 16 seasons with the Chargers (13 in San Diego, three in Los Angeles) and one season (2020) with the Colts before his initial retirement.
–Field Level Media
