Phillip Rivers is officially coming out of retirement to join the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad. This decision comes in the aftermath of Daniel Jones suffering a right Achilles injury that will force him to miss the rest of the season. The other quarterbacks on the roster, Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard, are also dealing with injuries. Phillip Rivers is already familiar with head coach Shane Steichen from their time with the Los Angeles Chargers. Rivers went in for a workout for Indianapolis on December 8th and reportedly threw the ball well, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The former Chargers quarterback is currently a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame at 44 years of age. However, if he is promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, it will reset his eligibility, and he will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame until 2031. Rivers starting this weekend is becoming an increasing possibility with the current injuries to Indianapolis’ backup quarterbacks.
Phillip Rivers Coming out of Retirement, Will Join Indianapolis Practice Squad
Phillip Rivers’ Last Stint With the Colts
One may remember Phillip Rivers under center for the Indianapolis Colts back in 2020 before retiring. During that season, Rivers helped lead the team to an 11-5 record as they made the AFC Wild Card. In that campaign, the eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback recorded a completion percentage of 68.0 percent, 4,169 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes to 11 interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.0. Furthermore, he also logged 7.7 yards gained per pass attempt, 11.3 yards gained per pass completion, and 260.6 yards gained per game played. It is difficult to envision Rivers at his current age having the same type of impact as when he last played football. One must remember he has been retired for the past four years. One cannot fault the Colts for being desperate since they are in dire straits with their current quarterback dilemma.
The Indianapolis Colts’ Surprising Season
Before the Daniel Jones injury, the Colts were one of the biggest surprises of the season. They had firm control of the first seed for a good portion of the year. Plus, their running back Jonathan Taylor has garnered MVP attention. Furthermore, Jones was also enjoying a career year before the injury. As of December 10th, 2025, Indianapolis is outside of the playoff picture. Considering all of this, the Colts are hoping that Phillip Rivers has enough left in the tank to get them back on track.
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