Philip Rivers Nearly Became a 49er-Now He’s Back, and the NFL Is Watching
SANTA CLARA - Kyle Shanahan gets it. He understands exactly what the Colts are doing by turning to a 44-year-old Philip Rivers in the middle of a quarterback crisis. After all, the 49ers were this close to doing the same thing three years ago.
Back in December 2022, the Niners were scrambling. Trey Lance was already out.
Jimmy Garoppolo had just broken his foot. And Brock Purdy?
He was still just “Mr. Irrelevant,” a rookie who’d barely seen the field outside of garbage time.
That’s when Shanahan picked up the phone and called Rivers.
“We talked to Philip as soon as Jimmy broke his foot,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “We didn’t have a backup.
We had a rookie who hadn’t really played. But we thought he had something.
We wanted to see what he could do.”
That rookie, of course, turned out to be Purdy-who led the 49ers all the way to the NFC Championship Game. Rivers, meanwhile, stayed retired. But now, with the Colts down to their third-string quarterback, they’ve made the call Shanahan never had to.
And just like that, Rivers is back.
A Comeback Years in the Making
Rivers’ return isn’t just a feel-good story-it’s a headline-grabber across the league. A Hall of Fame semifinalist for the Class of 2026, Rivers already ranks among the NFL’s all-time top ten in passing attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns. Now, after five years away from the game, he’s suiting up again.
Shanahan, who has spoken before about the 49ers’ interest in Rivers, still holds him in high regard.
“When he plays, he’s one of the best quarterbacks of all time,” Shanahan said. “You lose mobility as you get older, but the arm strength? That doesn’t always go.”
That arm strength is what the Colts are banking on as they prepare to face the 49ers in a Monday night matchup on Dec. 22. But before that, San Francisco has to take care of business at home against the struggling Titans this Sunday.
Purdy and the Long Game
As for Purdy, now firmly entrenched as the 49ers’ starter, he’s watching Rivers’ comeback with a mix of curiosity and admiration.
Asked if he could see himself still playing in 20 years, Purdy didn’t hesitate: “Hope so.”
It’s a reminder of just how rare Rivers’ longevity is-and how much the game has changed since he last took a snap. But for players like Trent Williams, the idea of playing into your 40s doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore.
“It gives some hope to the older guys that we’ll still be doing it around that age,” said Williams, 37. “I’ve been a big fan of Philip for a long time, so I’m happy to see him back. Would love to see him out there, just for the league.”
Patrick Willis Isn’t Coming Back-But He Gets It
Not everyone is eyeing a return, though. Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis, now a decade into retirement, isn’t planning a Rivers-style comeback-even with the 49ers down to their third-string middle linebacker.
Fred Warner is on Injured Reserve. Tatum Bethune is sidelined with an ankle injury. But Willis, who walked away from the game due to chronic foot pain, says he’s content staying retired.
Still, that competitive fire? It never really goes away.
“There’s not a moment where I don’t feel like I could still go out there and whoop some of these guys,” Willis said Wednesday. “But I just don’t have to.”
He added that his decision to retire when he did-while tough-was the right one. “That was part of the reason why I made the decision then, so I could feel this way now,” he said, referring to his now-healthy feet.
Injury Updates: Juszczyk Limited, Piñeiro Back
The 49ers are still dealing with a handful of injury concerns heading into Sunday’s matchup.
Linebacker Tatum Bethune (ankle), defensive end Sam Okuayinonu (ankle), and linebacker Nick Martin (concussion) have not yet been cleared to practice. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who injured his ribs in the Nov. 30 win over Cleveland, was a limited participant in practice.
There’s better news on the defensive front, where Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) is expected to return to practice Thursday. That will open a three-week window for the team to activate him off Injured Reserve.
Kicker Eddy Piñeiro is also back in action after missing nearly two weeks with a hamstring strain. The injury occurred on his final PAT in the Nov. 16 win over Arizona.
“It wasn’t a crazy injury,” Piñeiro said. “I knew I had a good shot to come back, and the training staff did a great job.
Still, it was frustrating to miss time. I hadn’t missed a game in almost four years.”
What’s Next
With the Titans coming to town and Rivers’ return looming in two weeks, the 49ers are entering a pivotal stretch. The team is 9-4 and still firmly in the playoff picture, but health and depth will be tested down the stretch.
And if Rivers does take the field on Dec. 22, it’ll be a full-circle moment-one that could’ve looked very different had Shanahan made a different call back in 2022.
Instead, it’s Purdy’s team now. But the echoes of that near-miss with Rivers still linger, a reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL-and how sometimes, the right decision is the one you don’t make.