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The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly making a change at quarterback, benching 44-year-old Philip Rivers after three games for rookie Riley Leonard.
Rivers, who recently became a grandfather, returned improbably after retiring in 2020 to try to spark a playoff run. The team went 0-3 in his starts, but Rivers played admirably and said he had no regrets about returning.
“I mean, if it was the last one, shoot, I told you I wouldn’t have any regrets coming back, and that’s not the case. That’s except we didn’t win, right? It’s been a blast for three weeks. I wouldn’t do it, if I went back and said, ‘All right, now you know everything that’s going to happen. What are you going to do?’ I would do all that again. It was absolutely awesome. I mean, if it’s the last one, it’s the last one,” Rivers said in his press conference following the Colts’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers jogs off the field after an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 28, 2025. (AJ Mast/AP Photo)
Rivers said he will be back as coach next year and will not make another return to the field. The eight-time Pro Bowler said he was grateful to get three bonus games.
“I thought the last (game) was walking off the field in Buffalo, going up that tunnel, and I was fine with that one. And that one had tears and those few days afterward, I was at peace with the fact that it was the last one. So certainly if that’s the case, I got three bonus games that I never saw coming and I couldn’t be more grateful to have had the opportunity,” Rivers said.
“It’s been great being out there, preparing with these guys and fighting with them. I just hate that we couldn’t get it done.”
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers throws during the first half of an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 28, 2025. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
Rivers thought he played the worst of his three games in the team’s loss to the Jaguars, saying he couldn’t get in sync or find a rhythm. Against the Jaguars, Rivers completed 17 of 30 passes for 147 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Although the Colts didn’t win any of Rivers’ starts, they won all three games. His best performance came against the San Francisco 49ers last week, when he completed 23 of 35 passes for 277 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a 48-27 loss.
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Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon in a loss to the Jaguars earlier this month, and Leonard came in as relief. However, Leonard suffered an injury during that game, which opened the door for Rivers to return.
Now that the team is no longer in a position to make the playoffs and Leonard is back to full health, he will start the team’s Week 18 game against the Houston Texans. The Colts and Texans play Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
