The curtain appears to have fallen on Philip Rivers' extraordinary return to professional football. The Indianapolis Colts are expected to bench the 44-year-old quarterback for their final game of the regular season, bringing his brief but sensational comeback to an end.
A desperate SOS call answered
Rivers, a father of ten and a grandfather, was coaxed out of retirement earlier this month in a dramatic move by head coach Shane Steichen. The Colts faced a severe injury crisis after their starter, Daniel Jones, suffered a torn Achilles tendon. With backup Anthony Richardson also sidelined, Steichen sent an emergency call to Rivers, who was five years into retirement and coaching his son's high school team.
The veteran, first drafted fourth overall by the San Diego Chargers back in 2004, answered the call. He was swiftly installed under centre in a bid to salvage the Colts' fading playoff hopes. However, the fairytale return did not yield the desired results on the field.
Struggles on the field lead to change
In his three starts, Rivers was unable to secure a victory, going 0-3 during his stint. The Colts' loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, a 23-17 defeat, effectively ended their postseason ambitions. Rivers himself conceded it was a difficult outing, stating, "I thought this is probably the worst game I've had of the three... I just couldn't get in really any sync or rhythm."
Consequently, the team is now poised to turn to rookie Riley Leonard for their season finale against the Houston Texans. Leonard was selected by the Colts with the 189th pick in the 2025 draft.
No regrets for the veteran quarterback
Despite the winless record and impending benching, Rivers expressed absolutely no remorse about his decision to return. Speaking after what is likely his final appearance, he was reflective and positive.
"I told you guys I wasn't going to have any regrets about coming back and I don't," Rivers said on Sunday. "Other than us not winning... it's been an absolute blast for three weeks. If I go back and say, 'All right, now you know everything's going to happen, what are you going to do?' I'd do it all again. It's been absolutely awesome. So, if it's the last one, it's the last one."
His brief return adds a unique final chapter to a storied career, demonstrating a love for the game that persisted long after his initial retirement. While the NFL comeback did not reverse the Colts' fortunes, it provided a memorable few weeks for the veteran quarterback and football fans alike.
