Philip Rivers explains decision to sign with Colts, aims to capitalize on 'bonus time' in NFL

After spending five years away from the NFL, Philip Rivers is out of retirement. The 44-year-old quarterback signed Tuesday with the Indianapolis Colts to join their practice squad. There is a chance he could play in his first game since 2020 when the team travels to face the Seattle Seahawks. Contributing to the Colts' playoff push is a challenge that Rivers said he is excited to tackle.

The extended time in retirement, Rivers' age and the quick ramp-up period raise questions about whether the former Colts and Chargers standout would be proficient in leading an offense in 2025. Indianapolis is desperate to find out after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, and Rivers has something to prove to himself.

"I wasn't really hanging on to any hope of playing again," Rivers said after his arrival at the team facility. "I kind of thought that ship had sailed. But something about it excited me. It's kind of one of those deals -- a door opens and you can either walk through it and find out if you can do it, or run from it.

"I know that there's risk involved, obviously, on what may or may not happen. But the only way to find out is going for it. I just felt almost like it was a gift, another opportunity to play and cut it loose with the guys and the game you love to play and the dream that you got to live. You may get some bonus time."

If Rivers gets the start on Sunday, he will become just the fifth starting quarterback in NFL history at age 44 or older. Tom Brady, Vinny Testaverde, Warren Moon and Steve DeBerg are the only such players to come before.

The threat of injury looms large for a player of his age, but it will not deter Rivers from attempting a comeback.

"As you see every week, whether you're 24 in the best shape of your life or whether you're 44 and not sure sure, anything can happen," Rivers said. "So that has never been a concern of mine. You never hope or expect something like that to happen, but if something like that happens, I've got a long time to recover."

Rivers said he received a call from coach Shane Steichen on Sunday after Jones suffered his injury. He took air reps on Monday and felt confident enough to take the next steps and ultimately sign to the practice squad. The decision process came with some doubt, but the prospect of proving that he can still play and doing so with a franchise that he loves was too big a draw to turn down.

Rivers will reunite with Steichen, who served as quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator for the Chargers during their time together. He will also share a locker room with 14 of his old teammates from the 2020 season.

"There's something about being back in this building that feels right," Rivers said.