The Indianapolis Colts got off to a hot start to the season. They were even in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But somewhere along the way, it all came to a screeching halt. Injuries began to pile up, and Indy went on to lose three out of four games before they faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14. Things only got worse from there.
Aside from losing 36-19, Daniel Jones tore his Achilles and will be out for nine months. Couple that with the fact that backup Riley Leonard is also dealing with a knee injury, and it only made sense that the Colts reached out to a familiar face.
The Colts are asking Philip Rivers to come out of retirement
In light of running out of healthy quarterbacks, the Colts reached out to Philip Rivers to see if he would come out of retirement. He's at least giving the possibility a thought, having flown to their facility the Thursday after the loss to see what kind of shape he is in.
While the Colts need to work out Philip Rivers to see what type of shape he is in, the former quarterback who is now a grandfather also needs to figure out whether he’s willing to play, per source. For now he’s clearly intrigued enough to fly to Indianapolis. https://t.co/GMwgllrRCC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 9, 2025
Stephen Holder of ESPN reported that Rivers has already worked out, and the Indianapolis brass is deciding how to proceed.
A first-round pick in 2003, Rivers spent most of his career with the Los Angeles (then-San Diego) Chargers before playing one last season with the Colts in 2020. That year, they made the playoffs but lost 27-24 to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
Normally, working out a free-agent quarterback wouldn't be the subject of headlines, but the Rivers news stands out because he just turned 44, and he hasn't played in four years. Simply, this is a desperate attempt from the Colts to somehow keep their playoff hopes alive.
And in case you were wondering why they can't trade for a veteran such as Jameis Winston or Joe Flacco, the issue is that the deadline was on Nov. 4.
Related: Pat McAfee is feuding with Jags fans after one of his old takes resurfaces
The Jaguars could face Philip Rivers if he unretires
The Colts are now 9-5 and have the second spot in the AFC South. If they want Philip Rivers to come out of retirement, it's because they don't think their season is over. Then again, they shouldn't hold their hopes too high. Leaving aside that the former eight-time Pro Bowl nod could be rusty, he's 44, so it's fair to assume that he wouldn't be at his peak even if he were in great shape. Having said that, this would be a welcome development for the Jaguars.
Already, Jacksonville beat the Colts. Sure, the win took place at EverBank Stadium, where they haven't won in more than 10 years. However, having to face a Rivers who is past his prime would be huge. If Daniel Jones were healthy, Indianapolis would still be a threat, but with Rivers behind center, the Jags would have a favorable matchup.
As of this writing, it's yet to be confirmed if Philip Rivers will sign with the Colts, but if he does, the Jaguars will be licking their chops.