00:00Philip Rivers is officially back in the NFL, and honestly it still feels unreal to say that.
00:06The 44-year-old quarterback, who last played in 2020 and retired in 2021,
00:12is stepping straight out of high school coaching life and right back into the Indianapolis Colts quarterback room.
00:18And according to Rivers himself, he didn't see this coming at all.
00:22Rivers said he pretty much thought the ship had sailed, on any hope of returning to professional football.
00:27He was enjoying retirement, coaching high school kids and staying close to the game in a low-pressure way.
00:34But then, Daniel Jones went down this past Sunday with a torn Achilles.
00:39And a little voice in Rivers' head started wondering,
00:42Hmm, could the Colts call me?
00:44And guess what? They did.
00:47For Rivers, the decision was surprisingly simple.
00:50He loves Shane Steichen, the Colts' current head coach,
00:53and still feels a deep connection with the Indianapolis organization.
00:57He said the training room, PR staff, equipment guys, everything felt the same as it did back in 2020, even 14.
01:06Of his old teammates are still there.
01:08To him, it felt like walking right back into a familiar home.
01:12Rivers admitted he wasn't exactly chasing a comeback.
01:15He wasn't secretly training for a return, or holding on to some dream.
01:18But when the door opened, he felt like it was a gift, a rare chance to play the game he loves one more time.
01:25And even though he knows there's risk, he said,
01:28The only way to know if he can still do it is to try now.
01:31Let's be real, he's 44 years old, hasn't thrown an NFL pass since January 9th, 2021,
01:38and is jumping back in after almost five full years away.
01:42Physically, can he still sling it?
01:45Rivers thinks so.
01:46But he admits it weighed on his mind.
01:49High school coaching isn't NFL-level prep, but he's stayed close to football.
01:53Watching Colts and Chargers games religiously every week, he insists he didn't shut football down.
02:01After retiring, he just shifted roles.
02:03Coach Steichen doesn't seem worried either.
02:06When asked if Rivers could really do this at his age, the coach simply said,
02:11He didn't forget how to throw a football.
02:13Pretty good point for now.
02:15Rivers is signed to the practice squad as he gets back into playing shape.
02:19The Colts are dealing with injuries.
02:20And Steichen still hasn't decided whether the week.
02:2415 starter against the Seahawks will be rookie.
02:28Riley Leonard, who's battling a PCL issue, or the returning veteran Rivers?
02:33Either way, it's a tough matchup.
02:36Mike McDonald's Seahawks defense has made life miserable, even for good quarterbacks this season.
02:43So the Colts have a choice.
02:45Throw out a banged-up rookie making his first start.
02:47Or a 44-year-old legend who hasn't thrown an NFL pass in nearly 1,800 days.
02:54Interestingly, Revere's return also affects his Hall of Fame timeline.
02:59He's a semi-finalist for the 2026 class.
03:02But if he plays again, his five-year clock resets.
03:06Rivers said he didn't think about that once.
03:08He's honored to be mentioned, grateful for the recognition.
03:10But insists the Hall didn't play any role in his decision.
03:15In the end, Rivers just wanted one more chance to play ball with the guys.
03:20For a coach he trusts, and for a team he enjoyed being part of.
03:24Whether this comeback becomes a magical story, or a short-lived experiment,
03:28well, we're about to find out.
03:40All the way to find out, for a coach, is to try and capture it.
03:58Whether he's a big fan, or a bigger fan, or a bigger fan.
04:01Or a big fan, or a big fan.
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