Philip Rivers’ NFL Return: Grit, Gratitude, and a Whole Lot of Heart
INDIANAPOLIS - It had been 1,800 days since Philip Rivers last threw a touchdown pass in an NFL game. But on Sunday, the 44-year-old quarterback - affectionately dubbed the “Gridiron Grandpa” - was back under center, and for a few glorious moments, it felt like time had rewound.
Rivers, called out of retirement to help an injury-depleted Colts squad (now 8-6), nearly pulled off a stunning upset in Seattle. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, taking one sack and tossing a late interception in an 18-16 loss to the 11-win Seahawks. It wasn’t perfect, but it was gutsy - and it was vintage Rivers in all the ways that mattered.
“I was just thankful - grateful - that I was out there,” Rivers said postgame, his voice reflecting both joy and frustration. “And it was a blast - it was a blast - but obviously the emotions now are disappointment.
This isn’t about me. We have a team scrapping like crazy to try and stay alive and get into the postseason.”
Make no mistake, though - for much of the league and its fans, this moment was about Rivers. A Hall of Fame semifinalist just weeks ago, he came out of coaching high school ball in Alabama to answer the Colts’ call. And even he wasn’t sure how it would go.
“There is doubt, and it’s real,” Rivers admitted. “The guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ I hope in that sense that can be a positive to some young boys, or young people.”
That message - about taking the leap, even when the outcome is uncertain - might resonate with more than just the kids he coaches at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama.
Rivers' high school squad, fresh off a 13-1 season, gathered at a local restaurant to watch their coach on the big stage. And when he connected with Josh Downs for a touchdown that gave the Colts a 13-3 lead, the place erupted.
It wasn’t just teenagers cheering. Across the country, fans who grew up watching Rivers’ fiery sideline rants and sidearm strikes were treated to a rare kind of comeback - one filled with gray hair, dad jokes, and yes, a real dad bod.
At one point last week, Rivers couldn’t even say how much he weighed. “More than when I left,” he quipped.
That touchdown to Downs? It was the 438th of Rivers’ career, including playoffs.
And it came nearly five years after what was thought to be his final score - a pass to Jack Doyle in the Colts’ playoff loss to the Bills on Jan. 9, 2021.
This return wasn’t just about nostalgia. It was about guts.
The Colts’ season had been derailed by injuries, most notably to Daniel Jones, whose comeback year ended with a torn Achilles. Enter Rivers, who hadn’t taken an NFL snap in nearly five years and had just one week to get up to speed.
He didn’t embarrass himself - far from it. Even when he slipped without contact on a drop-back, he popped up and scrambled forward like a guy who’s been there before. He took a few hits from Seattle’s defense and smiled about it afterward.
“I never minded that part of it,” Rivers said. “My wife always tells me I’m crazy because there’s been times in the last three or four years I said, ‘I wish I could just throw one and get hit - hard.’”
That kind of fire is what impressed former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck. Speaking on the “Scott Van Pelt Show,” Hasselbeck praised Rivers for stepping back into the arena - knowing full well the physical and reputational risks.
“He's been out of the game for nearly five years,” Hasselbeck said. “The risk associated with (returning to the NFL): getting hurt, tearing your knee up, blowing out an Achilles - and then more honestly - humiliating yourself by playing. There were risks associated with what he's doing.”
Van Pelt echoed the sentiment, pushing back against critics who mocked Rivers’ return. “They lost by two points to one of the best teams in football,” he said. “That’s not embarrassing.”
There’s even a practical side to all of this. According to Sports Illustrated, Rivers’ return could help his family - he and his wife have 10 kids - by reinstating NFL health insurance, which expires five years after a player’s last game.
His final season was 2020, during the COVID year. The timing, it turns out, couldn’t have been better.
As for the Hall of Fame conversation, Rivers’ name is now off the semifinalist list - for now - but four former Colts remain in the running: Frank Gore, Robert Mathis, Adam Vinatieri, and Reggie Wayne. All worthy names, all with deep ties to Indianapolis.
But right now, the focus is on the present. Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Monday that Rivers will start next week against the 10-4 San Francisco 49ers. And if he stays healthy, the road won’t get any easier - a Christmas-week clash with the AFC South-leading Jaguars (10-4) looms, followed by a regular-season finale in Houston (9-5).
Still, in a wide-open AFC playoff race that’s missing stars like Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, don’t count out the 44-year-old with the bolo tie and the fire still burning.
Philip Rivers is back. And for at least one more week, the NFL is better for it.