Philip Rivers gets emotional as bonus games with…
INDIANAPOLIS — Philip Rivers has made the postgame stroll to reply robust questions dozens of occasions over his earlier 17 NFL seasons.
This time appeared different.
With the Indianapolis Colts having been eradicated from the postseason for a fifth consecutive yr even before Rivers and his teammates took the sphere Sunday, the 44-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist is aware of he could have taken his last snap.
“It’s been an absolute blast for three weeks and if I go back now and said, ‘All right, now you know everything that’s going to happen, what are you going to do? I’d do it all again,’” Rivers said after the Colts misplaced 23-17 to Jacksonville. “So, yeah, if it’s the last one, it’s the last one. I thought the last one was walking off the field in Buffalo (in January 2021), walking up that tunnel and I was fine with that. I had tears those few days after that and I was at peace with that being the last one. So, certainly, if it is (the last one), I got three more bonus games that I never saw coming.”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers speaks during a news convention following an NFL soccer sport against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. AP
HEARTBREAKING: #NFL legend Philip Rivers was emotional speaking about today being the last sport of his iconic profession.“I got three bonus games that I never saw coming, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”Rivers says that he won’t unretire again.💔💔💔pic.twitter.com/MhDw9CJWe1— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 28, 2025
Rivers offered two components the Colts (8-8) needed when they introduced him out of a five-year retirement. His ardour energized the locker room after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, and he gave the Colts a likelihood to pull themselves out of a historic second-half swoon in which they turned just the sixth workforce since 1970 — and the first in 30 years — to start 7-1 and miss the playoffs.
But Rivers has misplaced all three of his begins, with the Colts’ total skid now at six games.
His late interception at Seattle ended the Colts’ bid for a miracle rally. And an interception Sunday on a tipped ball allowed the Jags (12-4) to kick the tiebreaking area aim with 6:58 to play.
While Rivers took accountability for both miscues with his typical down-home demeanor, he is aware of he’s not the face of the Colts’ future.
So with one meaningless sport remaining next weekend at Houston, the Colts may give Rivers one more start, but it’d make sense for them to take a look at Anthony Richardson — the No. 4 total draft choose in 2023 — or rookie Riley Leonard. Richardson has not been activated from the injured reserve checklist but has began practising.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers speaks during a news convention following an NFL soccer sport against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 AP
“I’ll figure that out Tuesday,” coach Shane Steichen said.
If Rivers’ profession is over, again, 5 years after he left the first time, he has no regrets.
He rented a place in Indianapolis, moved his whole household back to Indy for the ultimate month of the season and introduced dozens of gamers from St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama — where he’s the top coach — to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch his home finale.
In profession start No. 423, Rivers surpassed Hall of Famer Warren Moon as the fourth-oldest quarterback to start in the NFL. Rivers performed at 44 years, 20 days; Moon was 44 years and eight days.
If he makes start No. 424, Rivers would go Vinny Testaverde — 44 years and 26 days — as the third oldest, trailing only Steve DeBerg and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.
Rivers ranks sixth in league historical past in TD passes with 425 and is eighth on the profession yards passing checklist with 63,984 — just behind Matthew Stafford and 105 yards away from transferring past two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger.
Rivers is aware of he could not get that likelihood.
“I’m going to be on board and supportive of whatever the organization, Shane and whoever, however that decision is going to come to be,” Rivers said. “I’m sure I’ll have some conversation. It won’t just be a blind-side Tuesday conversation for me. And I’m going to be on board to do what’s best for the guys.”
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