Colts name Philip Rivers, 44, starting quarterback
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Philip Rivers’ return is official.
The Indianapolis Colts have named the 44-year-old grandfather as their starting quarterback for this Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
This will be Rivers’ first game since 2020.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) drops back to pass during practice at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025.
Rivers announced his retirement from the NFL after that season and began coaching high school football. There were reports that he was expecting a return in 2023 but nothing materialized.
But with Daniel Jones tearing his Achilles and rookie Riley Leonard suffering a knee injury after replacing the veteran forward and Anthony Richardson also getting injured, the Colts didn’t have much room to go.
“I had no hope of playing again. I thought that ship had sailed,” Rivers, who played 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before joining the Colts in 2020, said earlier this week. “But there’s something about it that excites me. It’s one of those deals where a door opens and you either walk through that door and find out if you can do it, or you run away from it. I know there’s risk involved, but the only way to find out is to take it.”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) during practice at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Rivers added that he was watching the Colts game when Jones fell on the field. He admitted it had crossed his mind that he might eventually get a call from Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen.
“When this happened, in my mind I was like, ‘What is this?’ I thought. “I have to admit how crazy this would be at the quarterback position, I thought, ‘I wonder if Shane will call,'” Rivers said. “The competitor inside you gets excited instantly.”
Depending on the number of games Rivers plays, he could eclipse 64,000 career passing yards. He currently has 421 targets with a 64.9 completion percentage.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) is on the sideline during a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 6, 2020. (Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)
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Indianapolis, which started 7-1 but lost four of its last five games, will face the Seattle Seahawks to keep its playoff hopes alive.
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