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In a crazy turn of events, it appears Philip Rivers will appear in an NFL game for the first time in nearly five years.
Rivers just turned 44 earlier this week and recently became a grandfather, but after injuries to Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard, the Indianapolis Colts had almost nowhere to turn.
This is as good a matchup as the Colts have been able to find, since Rivers played for Shane Steichen and the Colts in 2020, so Rivers knows the offense well.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) returns to pass Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during practice at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis.
But he’s still been out of the league for half a decade. So, Warren Moon, who also played in the NFL in his mid-40s, gave Rivers some advice.
“Trust your running backs. They have a great running back (in Jonathan Taylor) behind him that they can lean on, and their offensive line is going to have to really play well, really play physical to control the line of scrimmage and keep him out of long-yardage situations,” Moon told TMZ Sports.
“Because I think that’s where he’s going to be hurt the most if he has to go for those, you know, third-and-8, third-and-9, third-and-10, where he might have to hold the ball a little longer than he wants. And does he have the ability to escape to move around in the pocket like he did when he was playing, after being out for so long?”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) before playing against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card game at Bills Stadium on January 9, 2021. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)
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Moon admitted he was “alarmed” that Rivers would return, given the long layoff.
“He’s been out for five years, and even though he’s been around the football, he’s coached the game, he probably still talks about it with his old offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen, and all those guys, you just don’t know how his body is going to react coming out every day – the routine of practice – how his body is going to feel after a week of practice,” Moon said. “Does he still have those quick muscles that it takes to play this game, which has probably gotten a lot faster since he retired five years ago? So those are the things that concern me as far as his reaction time and how he can get the ball out of his hand pretty quickly.”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during practice at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The Colts started 7-1 but have lost four of their last five games, including each of their last three. They will travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks, as Rivers will likely try to keep his playoff hopes alive.
