The return of Philip Rivers is becoming a dadgum reality.
The Indianapolis Colts have added the 44-year-old quarterback to their active roster and plan to start him in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, according to multiple reports.
Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and Hall of Fame semifinalist, has not played since calling it a career after the 2020 season. The father of 10 — who is also a grandfather — had been coaching football at St. Michael Catholic High in Fairhope, Ala., where his son is a four-star quarterback recruit.
The Colts came calling after starter Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon last Sunday and rookie backup Riley Leonard sustained an undisclosed knee injury. Leonard was a full participant in practice all week and did not have an injury designation Friday, indicating he will be available to play. But Rivers is set to start for a Colts team jockeying with the Rams for the top seed in the NFC.
In deciding to add Rivers to their active roster, the Colts will reset the quarterback’s Hall of Fame eligibility clock because the Chargers legend has to have been retired for at least five years to be considered. Rivers made it clear this week that’s not a concern.
“It’s a real honor to be mentioned with those other 25 guys, certainly,” Rivers said of being named a semifinalist. “But I’m not holding my breath on that. I hadn’t been counting down the years. With all respect to the Hall, if one day I can be part of that group, it will be special, no question about it. But the extension of that timeline, if that comes to be, was not a factor in my thinking.”
