It couldn’t happen, could it? Well, it’s happening. Philip Rivers, whose last NFL game was so long ago that the league was still playing 16-game regular seasons, is going to be starting for the Indianapolis
Colts in a critical game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The 44-year-old grandfather has become the ultimate emergency option for the Colts following a season-ending Achilles injury to Daniel Jones. Notre Dame rookie Riley Leonard played in Jones’ absence during last week’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but came out of that game with a knee strain. Despite full practice status and no game designation, Indianapolis still saw it fit to pull Rivers out of retirement to rescue what once looked like a promising season. The Colts were 7-1 and now sit at 8-5 and out of a playoff spot on head-to-head tiebreaker with the Houston Texans.
Rivers was originally signed to the practice squad, but after right tackle Braden Smith went on injured reserve, the Colts signed him directly to the 53-man roster. This may not even be a one-off game, necessarily.
During his decorated time with the Chargers, Rivers just about owned the Seahawks. He won his first start in 2006 on a game-winning score to Vincent Jackson in the final minute, lost in 2010 on Earl Thomas’ game-clinching interception, but picked apart the Legion of Boom defense in 2014 and then won in Seattle again in 2018. The key part of this story is that Rivers’ last start against the Seahawks was so long ago that Earl Thomas was still on the roster and Sam Darnold was a rookie on the New York Jets.
Presumably Riley Leonard would be Rivers’ backup if he looks terrible and/or can’t finish the game.
Rivers, by the way, will not be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again until 2031 once he takes a snap.
This is surreal.
