Philip Rivers NFL return by the numbers: Why the Colts are taking this swing

The Indianapolis Colts officially signed longtime NFL veteran and potential Hall of Fame quarterback Philip Rivers to their practice squad on Tuesday. Rivers should take over for rookie Riley Leonard in the coming weeks as Indy attempts to replace the injured Daniel Jones. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport broke the news:

Rivers has not played since the 2020 COVID season. He spent the final year of his career — or what we thought was the final year of his contract — in Indianapolis, but spent bulk of his career in San Diego and Los Angeles with the Chargers. He held his Chargers retirement ceremony in June, less than sixth months ago.

Why the Colts are taking a flier on Philip Rivers

What on earth on the Colts thinking? It's a fair question, but on the other hand, point me to a better option. The QB free agent market at this point in the season is virtually nonexistent. The Colts can't trade for a more spry alternative, as the deadline has passed. So unless Indy was fully comfortable staking their postseason fate on a rookie (a sixth-round pick, at that), the front office needed to get creative.

Rivers brings an ocean of experience and pedigree to the Colts' practice squad and, quite possibly, to the starting offense. He evidently impressed officials enough in a private workout to convince them that he can still sling it. It also helps that Rivers shares a close connection to head coach Shane Steichen. According to JJ Watt, Rivers has been in regular communication with Steichen as he runs the Colts' offense for his son Gunnar's high school team.

That's right. Teddy Bridgewater isn't the only retired NFL player turned high school coach turned NFL player again.

Rivers has been running Steichen's style of offense his entire career, in fact. So he understands how the Colts do business. It's just a question of whether or not Philips can physically handle the rigors of NFL competition at 44 years old, and after a five-year layoff.

These numbers tell the story of Colts' Philip Rivers gamble

1/9/2021

This was the date of Rivers' last game played in the NFL — still in the haze of COVID, and with his "retirement" imminent. He completed 27-of-46 passes for 309 yards and two TDs in a 27-24 postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. He didn't take a sack or commit a turnover.

18

This will be Rivers' 18th NFL season if he is named to the Colts' active roster. That would tie him for 10th all time at the quarterback position, joining Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, Craig Morton, Fran Tarkenton, Sonny Jurgensen and Johnny Unitas.

63,440

Rivers has 63,440 passing yards in his career, averaging 260 per game.

277

Rivers has 277 more career passing yards than current Los Angeles Rams QB and fellow 17-year NFL vet Matthew Stafford. Now, he can return and defend his spot on the all-time leaderboard.

23

Rivers' oldest child, Halle Rivers, in 23 years old. That's the same age as standout tight end Tyler Warren, Indianapolis' most recent first-round pick. Riley Leonard, who Rivers is expected to replace under center, is also 23.

11

Rivers started all 16 games for the Colts in 2020 and won 11. A full-time NFL starter for 15 years, Rivers only finished below .500 four times — in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2019, his final season with the Chargers.

12

That is the number of current NFL head coaches that Philip Rivers is older than. I kid you not.

5

Philip Rivers is one of 26 players eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026. If he is named to Indianapolis' active roster, the clock resets and Rivers will need to wait another five years until he is eligible for induction.

4

There have been four sitting U.S. Presidents — George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden — since Rivers made his NFL debut in 2004. These next four years will be the sixth presidential term of Rivers' professional career.

How does this end for the Colts and Philip Rivers?

The Colts, again, didn't have many better options here. Riley Leonard is an enigma in terms of NFL experience (or lack thereof). He also hurt his knee in Sunday's loss, so the rookie's availability for Week 15 is already in doubt. Even if the Colts have confidence in Leonard, he's hurt and unproven. Rivers knows the playbook and brings almost two decades of experience to the QB room. That should help him step in and hold his own despite the suddenness of the situation.

Should we temper expectations for a 44-year-old quarterback coming out of a five-year retirement? Of course. Don't expect Rivers to rip it downfield like he used to. Another important number is 1,356 — as in the number of rushing yards Jonathan Taylor has compiled through 14 weeks this season. If the Colts elevate Rivers to the active roster, expect Taylor's workload to expand even more.

Indianapolis will ask as little of Rivers as possible in order to stay competitive and hopefully eke out a postseason berth. There's even a world in which Leonard gets up to speed, Rivers looks a step slow in practice, and his 18th NFL season never actually comes to fruition. We needn't jump the shark on what is plainly an act of desperation.

All that said... Rivers coming in and outperforming fellow old man quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco is certainly within the realm of possibility. The dude has one of the greatest canons in recent NFL history and he has won a lot of football games. Don't bank on a Philip Rivers renaissance, but crazier things have happened.