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Stephen Holder
INDIANAPOLIS — Philip Rivers was watching the Indianapolis Colts’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and witnessed quarterback Daniel Jones’ devastating Achilles injury.
«I saw the injury live,» said Rivers, the eight-time Pro Bowl selection who rejoined the Colts this week, five years after his retirement. The move reunites him with close friend Shane Steichen, the Colts’ head coach.
«I feel terrible for Daniel … And I have to admit, I thought, ‘Well, I wonder if Shane will call.'»
Steichen did, in fact, call hours later. And he got a receptive response from Rivers, one of the most decorated passers in NFL history.
After mulling the idea over with his wife and family and seeking the counsel of some trusted associates, Rivers called the Colts on Tuesday morning with a final decision.
«I said, ‘What do you think’,» Steichen said Wednesday. «He said, ‘Dadgummit, let’s freaking go.»
Riley Leonard, who has a right knee issue.
That sparked the idea of calling Rivers to begin with. But even with Leonard’s improving health — he plans to practice Wednesday and said he feels good — the Colts are seriously considering playing Rivers on Sunday if he shows himself worthy in this week’s practices.
«We’ll see how the week goes,» Steichen said. «We’ll get to the end of the week and make that decision.» Asked to clarify further and whether Rivers could play even if Leonard is healthy on Sunday, Steichen was adamant.
«It depends on how he feels, too,» he said of Rivers.
Whatever happens, Rivers has already brought something to the table: enthusiasm.
Per usual, he came to work Wednesday with the same level of excitement teammates and coaches because accustomed to during his 17 previous seasons.
He boiled his decision down to still harboring a love for football that he can’t shake.
Football, he said, «is a game I love to play, a game that I thought I was done playing. Certainly, I wasn’t really hanging on to any hope of playing again. I kind of thought that ship had sailed. But something about it excited me. And it’s kind of one of those deals, the door opens and you can either walk through it and find out if you can do it or run from it.»
Asked whether he can handle the physical rigors of the game after being away for five years, Rivers conceded that will be one of his foremost challenges.
«I’m trying to pick it back up,» he said. «I’ve still been very into it since I’ve been gone [coaching high school and training draft prospects]. But, yeah, it is a physical game and it’s fast and dudes are big and fast, just like they were. So, shoot, you take it a day at a time. «And I do feel good. There’s something about being back in this building that feels right and I’m just thankful.»
The idea of Rivers playing on Sunday might seem far fetched on some levels, but his intimate knowledge of the Colts’ system does give him a huge advantage over a quarterback without the long history with Steichen that Rivers has.
Steichen coached Rivers for six seasons as a Chargers assistant in the late 2010s, serving as interim offensive coordinator in Rivers’ final season, 2019. Much of Steichen’s scheme and verbiage remains intact.
«That’s a big deal to be able to see that call sheet Tuesday morning and be able to know what every play is,» Rivers said.
As for the Hall of Fame variable, Rivers said it wasn’t top of mind. He is a semifinalist for induction in 2026, his first year of eligibility. If he joins the Colts’ active roster, his five-year waiting period will reset and he will need to wait until 2031 to be eligible.
«I’m not holding my breath on that and I hadn’t been counting down the years and with all respect to the Hall,» he said. «If one day I can be a part of that group, it will be special. No question about it. But the extension of that time, if that comes to be, was not a factor in my thinking.»
