In July, former quarterback Philip Rivers was asked on The Dan Patrick Show if he could still play an NFL game. “Oh yeah. I’m a little heavier than I was, but I could get through a game,” Rivers said, adding with a laugh, “Now, I may need a wheelchair the next morning.”
Now 44 and a grandfather, Rivers has signed a practice contract with the Indianapolis Colts after the team lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones for the season to an Achilles injury. The move has stirred hope that Rivers might help preserve the Colts’ playoff chances. Here are the key numbers that put his return in context:
21: Years since Rivers’ first NFL season. Seth Wickersham of ESPN calls that span “pretty ridiculous to think,” but notes the idea of Rivers returning isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Today’s NFL can favor veteran quarterbacks who read the game well and stay in the pocket rather than rely on scrambling.
10: Children in Philip and Tiffany Rivers’ family. Rivers said his family is “thrilled, nervous and a bit surprised” by his potential comeback. He recalled his 6-year-old asking months ago, “Dad, why don’t you play anymore?” Rivers replied, “The best you’re gonna get is me coaching on the sideline.”
8: Pro Bowl appearances for Rivers, who posted elite numbers across much of his career, primarily with the Chargers (2004–2019).
5: Years of waiting before Hall of Fame eligibility results are announced for first-ballot candidates. Rivers had a Hall of Fame-caliber résumé and was expected to be a first-ballot inductee; if he joins the active roster, that process would reset.
0: Number cited in the story regarding the Colts’ playoff appearances since Rivers’ 2020 season with Indianapolis following Andrew Luck’s retirement. (The Colts reached the playoffs with Rivers in January 2021 but lost to the Buffalo Bills.)
240: Consecutive regular-season starts by Rivers, the second-most for any quarterback, a testament to durability and playing smart to avoid repeated heavy hits.
14: Current Colts players Rivers says were on the team during his last stint there. Rivers noted familiar faces and staff — “Training room is the same. PR guys are the same. Equipment room is the same. They wanted me. I try to keep it as simple as that.”
32: Number of NFL starting quarterback jobs. Wickersham emphasizes how rare elite quarterbacks are: “There’s 16,000 starting quarterbacks in high school every year… There’s 32 starters in the NFL. There’s 10 good ones and there’s three great ones, give or take, in a year.” He adds that few players could step off the street and immediately deliver wins; Rivers is one of those few.
2: The number of high-profile Achilles tendon tears that have hit Indianapolis this year at critical moments — first Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton (out of Game 7 of the NBA Finals), and months later Colts starter Daniel Jones, who had already been playing through a broken fibula before the Achilles injury. For local fans, the string of injuries has been painful, and Rivers’ familiarity with the offense offers some hope.
Context: Veteran quarterbacks have recently returned to help teams in injury crises; Joe Flacco, another 40-something QB, returned this season to aid the Cincinnati Bengals after Joe Burrow was injured. Wickersham notes that while Rivers lacks the speed of younger players, his skill set — quick processing, pocket play, experience — fits what teams sometimes need late in a season.
Local reaction: Colts fan Grace Branson said Rivers’ familiarity with the offense gives her “some hope and confidence for the rest of the season.” Samantha Horton of WFYI observed that for Indianapolis sports fans, Rivers’ signing helps sustain a dream of reaching the playoffs.
WFYI’s Samantha Horton contributed to this story.