The Indianapolis Colts' quarterback room has officially entered uncharted territory. With injuries piling up and options thinning out, the team is staring down a quarterback situation so dire, they might be dialing up a 44-year-old Philip Rivers for emergency duty. Yes, that Philip Rivers - the eight-time Pro Bowler who last played an NFL snap in 2020 and retired after a one-year stint with the Colts.
Let’s break it down: Daniel Jones, acquired earlier in the season, is done for the year with a torn Achilles. Anthony Richardson, the promising young face of the franchise, is sidelined with an orbital fracture and won’t be available for Week 15.
And now, Riley Leonard - the rookie from Notre Dame who was expected to step in - is dealing with a strained knee ligament. His status for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks?
Very much up in the air.
That leaves Brett Rypien as the next man up. Yes, the same Brett Rypien who was on Seattle’s practice squad not long ago.
Now he’s potentially starting against his former team in one of the league’s loudest stadiums. It’s a full-circle moment no one saw coming - especially not the Colts.
Enter Rivers.
The idea of bringing back a quarterback who’s been out of the league for five years sounds like something out of a football fever dream. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Colts are running out of bodies.
Rivers, who spent the bulk of his career putting up big numbers with the Chargers (including three wins in four starts against Seattle), did lead Indy to the playoffs in 2020. But that was a long time ago in football years - and even longer when you consider the physical toll of the position.
If Rivers were to return, even as a practice squad stash, the scenario becomes fascinating - and a little wild. What happens if Rypien starts, gets hurt, and Rivers has to take the field?
It’s not impossible. And given the way this Colts season has gone, it’s not even that far-fetched.
There’s also a bit of emergency depth behind the emergency depth: rookie tight end Tyler Warren reportedly has some quarterback experience and could be used in a pinch. That’s the kind of contingency plan you hope never to need, but right now, Indy can’t afford to rule anything out.
To make matters even more complicated, the Colts don’t have a first-round pick until 2028. That’s the cost of going all-in at the trade deadline, when they shipped out two firsts to land All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner. Gardner, by the way, might also miss the Seahawks game due to injury.
It’s a perfect storm of injuries, bad timing, and high-stakes gambles that have left the Colts scrambling. Whether Rivers actually suits up or not, the fact that his name is even in the conversation tells you everything you need to know about where this team stands heading into Week 15.
Buckle up. This Colts season just keeps getting stranger.