Philip Rivers announces final career decision before Week 18
The Indianapolis Colts fell to 8-8 after losing their sixth straight game on Sunday. While it is The Colts have already been eliminated from the playoffs, Philip Rivers took the field for the team’s last home game in 2025.
Rivers non-retired and re-signed with the Colts in a bid to salvage India’s season after Daniel Jones tore his Achilles. But the 44-year-old quarterback couldn’t pull the team out of the spiral. With India out of the playoffs, Rivers announced his retirement again.
“I’m back on the sidelines,” Rivers told Kay Adams on Up & Adams. “This has been a fun, three-week blur that nobody saw coming, including me. And that’s going to be it.”
Philip Rivers retires again after 3 game series with Colts
Rivers assured Adams that he was done with football. And he explained that he only came back after a five-year absence because the Colts were the perfect situation.
“I knew I was done in 2020. . . . This was simple – everything turned out right. Because (he had another team) invited, there was no way. Because, again, it was the place I was, the team I knew, the offense was exactly the same, the coach I knew. All those things (that) created a perfect storm.”
Riley Leonard will start for the Colts in the regular season finale. And Rivers is excited to be back coaching high school football, with two of his sons on his team.
“I think (returning to the Colts) will at least get our offseason going. Maybe some of the things I tell them they’ll take a little more seriously now that I’ve played a few weeks ago.”
After an 8-2 start, the Colts hit a wall. Rivers did his best to keep the team going after Jones’ injury. The eight-time Pro Bowler had some vintage moments in his surprising three-game return to the NFL. And he struggled sometimes too.
Rivers crushed the 49ers on Monday Night Football and gave the Colts a chance to win against the Seahawks. But he couldn’t end Indianapolis’ losing streak.
Retirement was not a complete failure, however. With his return, Rivers secured health benefits for the next five years. That’s no small thing for a man with 10 children.
2026-01-01 04:06:00
