Fading Super Bowl contenders turn to ‘retired’ 44-year-old grandad without a start in five years

It’s desperate times in Indianapolis.

Having lost each of their last three games, and four of their last five – the last thing the Colts needed was quarterback problems, but that’s exactly where they find themselves.

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The Indianapolis Colts have signed Rivers to their practice squad, giving them what they hope is a realistic option at quarterback as they aim to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.

Following a devastating season-ending Achilles tear to Daniel Jones – who was already playing on a fractured fibula – an ongoing injury to former top-five draft pick Anthony Richardson, and third-string Riley Leonard dealing with a PCL injury of his own, the Colts are short of options under center.

However, Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s team may have found an answer in the form of 44-year-old grandfather, Rivers.

After bringing in the eight-time Pro Bowler for a workout on Monday, which also so happened to be his 44th birthday, the front office reached the conclusion that Rivers is what they needed.

A decision is expected to be imminent on whether Rivers will be added to the active roster or not, but he’s signing and he is currently the third option behind Leonard and Brett Rypien who was elevated from the practise squad over the weekend.

Should he be signed to the active roster, where he could potentially debut for the Colts on Sunday in their road game against the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks depending on whether Leonard is fit to go, then his Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility would be effected.

Currently one of the 26 modern-era semifinalists for the HOF Class of 2026, Rivers’ five-season eligibility clock would be reset, which means he would no longer be eligible until 2031 at the earliest.

It should be noted that if he just stay on the practice squad – which would see him still be able to mentor a sixth-round rookie like Leonard – then his eligibility would not be effected.

However, it’s unlikely the Colts and Rivers would go through all this trouble just to leave him on the practice squad.

The Colts started the season with a 7-1 record and looked every part of being a legitimate Super Bowl contender with Jones having arguably the best season of his career and an MVP candidate in running back Jonathan Taylor in the back field.

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They even appeared to go into win-now mode after trading for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline.

But their progress has been stunted, having failed to pick up a win since Week 10 – their final game before their bye week – when it took an overtime period for them to get past the Atlanta Falcons 31-25 in Berlin, Germany.

One more last-ditch chance at chasing a ring

Rivers was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft by the New York Giants where he was traded to the San Diego/ Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for No. 1 overall pick Eli Manning.

He spent 17 seasons in the league up until 2020, spending all but his final season with the Chargers and seeing his career out in Indianapolis.

Across his lengthy career, he had an average pass completion rate of 64.9 percent, and amassed 63,440 passing yards – the seventh most yards of all-time – 421 touchdowns and 209 interceptions.

However, he only reached the playoffs on seven occasions, with him coming closest to getting his hands on the coveted Lombardi Trophy in 2007 when the Chargers fell to all-time great quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Conference Championship Game.

Indy suffer steep decline

20. Indianapolis Colts (8-5)

The Colts are barely hanging in the top 20 after losing Daniel Jones to injury.

Indy always seemed too good to be true in 2025.

That’s definitely the case after Jones tore his Achilles and ruined a perfect Hollywood script.

And a 44-year-old Philip Rivers probably isn’t winning the Colts’ first Super Bowl since Peyton Manning owned Indy.

Check out talkSPORT’s Super Bowl power rankings here

Colts head coach Shane Steichen has worked with Rivers in the past, having been the quarterbacks coach at the Chargers from 2016 to 2019, and the interim offensive coordinator that same season.

With that in mind, and taking age out of the equation, if any quarterback could get up to speed and into rhythm with Steichen’s offense quickly, it is Rivers.

For Rivers, the challenge now is primarily physical rather than mental.

Should he get signed to the active roster, then one last chance at chasing a Super Bowl ring may well be on the cards.

However the Colts have to take care of business first by getting back on top of the AFC South standings after losing out to the surging Jacksonville Jaguars.

The regular season’s final month is all to play for, and an unlikely face is now at the helm – but he may have a rough ride.

They also have the very testing matter of two of the NFL’s very best defenses on the schedule – starting Seattle in Week 15 and the Texans in Week 18, with San Francisco and Jacksonville in between.

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