In an unexpected twist to their beleaguered season, the Indianapolis Colts are reportedly gearing up to bring back their one-time playoff convoy, Philip Rivers, for a workout. As the Colts grapple with a seriously compromised quarterback lineup following injuries to Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard, the 44-year-old former NFL player-turned-high-school coach might just be their Hail Mary.
Rivers, who hasn't snapped a football in a professional game since the 2020 wild-card round, celebrated his 44th birthday this Monday. Despite the layoff, the Colts seem to sincerely believe that Rivers can still, to effectively compete at a professional level. According to NFL Network, there's potential for Rivers to be signed to the practice squad, a move that wouldn't set back his Pro Football Hall of Fame clock—unless he's escalated to the active roster.
The necessity for such a measure became evident after Daniel Jones succumbed to a season-ending torn Achilles and rookie Riley Leonard picked up a knee injury. As reported by IndyStar, if Leonard is not ready for Sunday's game, the Colts' choices are severely limited, with only practice squad veteran Brett Rypien remaining. Head coach Shane Steichen made it clear that the Colts are "working through those situations right now."
Despite the passage of time and the advancements of youth in the Colts' roster, Rivers' earlier 2020 performance—where he threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions—still resonates within the organization. He also has a deeply ingrained rapport with Steichen from their Chargers days, Rivers having previously told IndyStar about their late-night football talks. This connection, alongside his in-depth knowledge of Steichen's system, could prove to be the ace up the sleeve the Colts need as they scramble to hold on to their playoff hopes after a recent spell of losses.
Rivers' potential return to the NFL has been floated before, as noted by The Guardian, citing the San Francisco 49ers' consideration of him for their Super Bowl contingency plan during 2023. While it remains to be seen if Rivers will don the Colts' horseshoe helmet once again, the team appears to be willing to explore all options amidst their current desperation.
