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Philip Rivers had plenty of experience playing for Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen. But even he was shocked when he got a call about returning to the NFL.
It was a thought that had crossed Rivers’ mind. Still, not playing since 2020, it seemed a bit far-fetched, via Ryan Hockensmith of ESPN.
“I wonder if Shane will call,” Rivers thought. “Nah, not gonna happen.”
That call eventually did come, and Rivers has made one of the more improbable returns in recent NFL History. Their decision came due to a rash of injuries. Daniel Jones suffered a second-ending Achilles injury while Anthony Richardson was on injured reserve with an eye problem. Rather than stick with Riley Leonard, Indianapolis decided to think outside of the box.
In his first game back, the Colts narrowly fell to the Seattle Seahawks 18-16. Rivers competed 18-of-27 passes for 120 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He averaged just 4.4 yards per attempt as Indianapolis lacked a bit of explosion.
But that was to be expected of a quarterback who hasn’t played in five years. With a week under his belt, Rivers will at least be more acclimated to the new offense and the pass catchers around him. It’s fair to wonder if Steichen will give him more responsibility in game two.
He may not have much of a choice based on the Colts’ playoff status. At 8-6, they cannot afford to drop another game. They’ll still need some help from the Houston Texans. When it comes to their Week 16 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers though, all eyes will be on Rivers.
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