The Indianapolis Colts are not ready to wave the white flag on their all-in season.
With Daniel Jones’ season done, Anthony Richardson on injured reserve and backup quarterback Riley Leonard dealing with knee soreness, the Colts are reportedly considering a familiar face at quarterback.
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Per NFL Network, the Colts are hosting Philip Rivers for a Tuesday workout to potentially join their practice squad. Rivers, 44, hasn’t played NFL football since the 2020 season.
But when he played that season, he led the Colts to success, so they’re apparently willing to see what he’s got left in the tank. An eight-time Pro Bowler with the Chargers, Rivers joined the Colts for his final NFL season and led them to an 11-5 record and the playoffs.
The Colts are desperate at quarterback after an MRI on Monday confirmed that Jones sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon in Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Anthony Richardson, meanwhile, remains on injured reserve with an orbital fracture and no timeline to return. Head coach Shane Steichen said Monday that Richardson has not yet been cleared.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 12: Philip Rivers #17 of the Indianapolis Colts watches action during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
(Wesley Hitt via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Jones’ backup and replacement on Sunday, Riley Leonard, is dealing with knee soreness. Steichen said Monday that Leonard will «hopefully» be able to play on Sunday. If he’s not, that would leave the Colts without quarterback from their active roster.
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Their next in-house option would be to promote practice squad quarterback Brett Rypien. And even in that scenario, the Colts would need to add another quarterback to have a healthy backup in case of another injury in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Quarterbacks aren’t exactly easy to find after Week 14 of the NFL season. So apparently, it’s a least worth a call to Rivers to find out what sort of shape he’s in. The Colts will reportedly find out on Tuesday.
This all comes amid a season in which the Colts entered the contention conversation thanks to the best season of Jones’ career and an 8-2 start. With a shot at the Super Bowl in their sights, the Colts traded not one, but two first-round picks for cornerback Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline in hopes of bolstering their defense to compete for a playoff run.
But Gardner has since suffered his own calf injury that’s expected to sideline him for multiple weeks. And the shine started to come of the Colts’ season even before Jones’ devastating Achilles tear.
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Jones displayed midseason signs of regression as the Colts lost two of three games heading into Sunday’s against the Jaguars. Sunday’s 36-19 defeat made it three losses in four games and dropped the Colts to 8-5, on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
A once promising Colts season is no more. And a 44-year-old Rivers nearly five years removes from playing football isn’t a strong bet to be the savior. But the Colts are desperate and invested enough at this point to give it a shot.
