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Philip Rivers, 44, is back in an NFL building as the Indianapolis Colts brought back their former signal-caller to potentially help them reach the playoffs.
Rivers hasn’t played in the league since 2020, but the Colts believe he can still throw the pigskin, which begs the question: Does Tom Brady feel the same way?
“Who retires and then retires and then finally goes to retire again? Who does that? It’s ridiculous for Philip to do that,” Brady joked about Rivers’ return to the Colts during his appearance on FOX Sports’ “The Herd.”
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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)
But could Brady still play quarterback at age 48 if he decided to re-enter the NFL?
“Yes, I certainly could,” he told Colin Cowherd. “I think the answer for me would be yes. I no longer have the right to do it because I am a minority owner of the [Las Vegas] Raiders, so I can’t back out. »
Brady’s previous joke refers to his retirement on February 1, 2022, after playing 22 illustrious seasons in the league. However, just 40 days after his announcement, Brady was back in the saddle with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
PHILIP RIVERS EMBRACES NFL RETURN TO QUARTERBACK AFTER RETURN TO COLTS: “I THOUGHT THE SHIP HAD SAILED”
Then, Brady retired “for good” after that season, where the Bucs lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.
And even if Brady miraculously wanted to return to the field, he wouldn’t be able to contemplate his participation in the Raiders. This is against NFL rules.
But Rivers, who has been coaching high school in Alabama since his playing days ended in 2020, now finds himself in position to potentially start against the Seattle Seahawks on the road this Sunday.
It’s a crucial time for the Colts, losers of their last three games since the bye week, leaving them at 8-5 on the season. They aim to compete with the Jacksonville Jaguars, to whom they just lost on Sunday, and are now 9-4 leading the AFC South. The Houston Texans, who have won five straight behind their league-leading defense, are also 8-5, making them a division to watch in the remaining four games of the regular season.
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 reason for Rivers’ reunion in Indy has to do with the loss of Daniel Jones, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon after attempting to play with a broken fibula. Jones was enjoying a season that revitalized his career, which looked completely different in 2024 after being released by the New York Giants mid-season.
Then rookie Riley Leonard, who took over for Jones in Jacksonville, suffered a knee injury, leading the Colts to call up Rivers. After a visit to see if he was fit enough to play, they put pen to paper, and now head coach Shane Steichen could visit the 44-year-old as journalists believe they are watching him take most of the first team’s reps in training.
“I’m very excited to see Philip play,” Brady added. “If he’s out there, that’s really, really cool. It shows how much he loves the game and really what he’s still capable of doing.”
Rivers may not be very sharp, but then again, he told reporters that his strengths on the football field never revolved around what he could do with his legs. He has always been talented with the arm, displaying an accurate ball and good decision-making during his time with the Chargers and Los Angeles Colts.
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“This game is played, for the quarterback, from the neck down,” Brady said. “We used to say at Michigan, ‘Mental is as good as physical as four to one at quarterback.’ It doesn’t really go away. Do you still have the physical capacity to do it – take the hits, make the throws, the drops, buy some time in the pocket?
“If Philip practiced these things, then we’re all going to see it on full display in Seattle on Sunday afternoon.”
