Quarterback Philip Rivers has officially announced his retirement plans after a brief and unexpected return to the Indianapolis Colts. After spending part of his time away from professional football coaching high school players, Rivers rejoined the team in December 2023, but he now intends to retire for good.
In an appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams,” Rivers, 44, confirmed that he will not extend his playing career. The Colts, who finished their season with a record of 8-8, are set to start rookie Riley Leonard in their season finale against the Houston Texans, who hold a record of 11-5.
“I am (done),” Rivers stated during the program. He expressed excitement about returning to coaching at the high school level, particularly as his son prepares to enter his senior year. “I got that St. Michael football team ready to go. We got beat in the semifinals two years in a row. So, it’ll be his senior year. My second son will be a ninth grader. They’ll be on the same team together,” Rivers added. He believes his recent playing experience will add value to his coaching, saying, “Maybe the things I say to them, they’ll take it a little more seriously now that I was just out there playing.”
Rivers’ return to the NFL came as a response to injuries within the Colts’ quarterback lineup. Shane Steichen, the head coach of the Colts, reached out to Rivers when Leonard was coping with a strained knee ligament following injuries to Daniel Jones, who suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. Rivers had not played in an NFL game since the 2020 season but was familiar with Steichen from their time together at the Los Angeles Chargers.
Reflecting on his brief return, Rivers explained, “Everything just lined up. It was a place I’d been, a team I was familiar with, the offense was exactly the same. The coach I knew. It was all those things that made it kinda the perfect storm.”
Despite his familiarity with the team, Rivers struggled during his three starts, losing all of them and finishing with a total of 544 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. His performance did not yield the desired results, leading him to conclude that he would not pursue an entire season as an active player.
“I’m back to the sideline,” Rivers said. “This was a fun three-week blur that nobody saw coming, including myself, and that will be it.” With his decision to retire, Rivers looks forward to focusing on his family and coaching, leaving behind a legacy as one of the prominent quarterbacks of his era.
