It’s hard to believe this is a real thing that is happening in 2025, but the Indianapolis Colts need a lot of quarterback help, and they may need the services of a literal grandfather in an emergency.
Daniel Jones is out for the year after tearing his Achilles, Anthony Richardson is on IR with an orbital fracture and will not be available for Week 15, and now would-be backup Riley Leonard is uncertain to play against the Seattle Seahawks. The Notre Dame rookie is dealing with a strained knee ligament, which puts his status for Sunday’s trip to Lumen Field in doubt.
So no Jones, no Richardson, maybe no Leonard, which brings us to former Seahawks practice squad player Brett Rypien as Indy’s next option. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but it doesn’t get much more desperate than seriously asking 44-year-old Philip Rivers if he wants to return to where he ended his career… five years ago.
I don’t even know what to say. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection is best known for his great years with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, including three wins over the Seahawks in four starts. All of those starts happened a minimum of seven years ago.
Even if he’s just as a practice squad option because Rypien is literally Indy’s practice squad QB, this seems like a genuinely insane idea. What happens if Rivers is signed, elevated for game day, Rypien gets hurt, and Rivers has to come in?
Presumably, Jeff George was unavailable.
By the way, Colts rookie tight end Tyler Warren is another emergency quarterback option. And on another note, they don’t have a first-round pick until 2028 after their midseason relinquishing of two firsts for Sauce Gardner, who may also be out for the Seahawks game due to injury.
