Philip Rivers Makes Stance On Comeback Clear During Emotional Press Conference
No one had Philip Rivers playing NFL football in 2025 on their bingo card. Even so, in one of the best sports stories of the year, the 44-year-old Rivers has started three consecutive games for the Indianapolis Colts, the most recent performance coming on Sunday in a Week 17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Despite Rivers failing to lead the lowly Colts to a win in three tries, his numbers were decent during his improbably comeback, and he definitely surprised everyone with how effective he looked out there.
Rivers went 58-for-92 passing for 544 passing yards over the last three games with four touchdowns and three interceptions.
Addressing the media after Sunday’s loss, Rivers acknowledged that this could be the end of his comeback, seeing as the Colts’ QB selection for Week 18 is not set in stone.
In an emotional press conference, Rivers expressed gratitude for the opportunity to suit up this season, although he didn’t outright say that he won’t play again.
Rivers stunned the NFL world by emerging from retirement to join the Colts after starter Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, leaving the team desperate for quarterback depth with playoff aspirations fading.
Signed to the practice squad on December 10, Rivers quickly ascended to starter, debuting against the Seattle Seahawks on December 14 in a narrow 18-16 defeat where he threw an 8-yard touchdown to Josh Downs and nearly orchestrated a game-winning drive.
In all three of his starts this season, Rivers has displayed vintage grit and accuracy that inspired fans and teammates alike.
Rivers’ illustrious career (before the comeback) spanned 17 seasons, beginning as the No. 4 pick in 2004 by the Chargers, with whom he amassed 63,440 passing yards, 421 touchdowns, and eight Pro Bowl nods over 16 years.
His 2020 stint with the Colts yielded an 11-5 record and playoff berth before retiring in 2021 to coach high school football.