Colts sign Philip Rivers to practice squad, bringing 44-year-old QB out of retirement

It’s official, dadgummit. The Indianapolis Colts have brought 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers out of retirement and have signed him to their practice squad, the team announced Wednesday.

Rivers, who retired after leading the Colts to the playoffs in 2020, worked out for the team on Monday night, league sources said. The team obviously liked what it saw, as the eight-time Pro Bowler will rejoin the franchise nearly five years after he last took an NFL snap.

The #Colts are signing 44-year-old Philip Rivers to their practice squad, league sources confirm to @TheAthletic. Rivers last played for the Colts in 2020, leading them to the playoffs.

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) December 9, 2025

The 8-5 Colts are in desperation mode, fighting for their playoff lives with their quarterback room decimated by injuries. Starting quarterback Daniel Jones tore his right Achilles tendon during Sunday’s 36-19 loss to the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars. Backup QB Anthony Richardson, meanwhile, remains on injured reserve after the 2023 first-round pick suffered an orbital fracture during a pregame warmup accident in Week 6.

With Richardson out, sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard filled in for Jones Sunday, and while he performed admirably in Jones’ stead, the Notre Dame product also suffered a right knee injury during the game. His ability to play this weekend in Seattle is in question. The only other quarterback on the Colts’ roster is NFL journeyman Brett Rypien.

Enter Rivers.

A pairing with the Colts is far from a coincidence, as his ties to the franchise stretch well beyond his lone season in Indianapolis, where he played with current Colts, including wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., guard Quenton Nelson and running back Jonathan Taylor, among others. Rivers spent the first 16 years of his illustrious career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, where he overlapped with current Colts coach Shane Steichen. Steichen was a Chargers defensive assistant from 2011-2012, their offensive quality control coach from 2014-2015, quarterbacks coach from 2016-2019 and their interim offensive coordinator in 2019, spending eight years with Rivers. The two remain close friends.

“He and I saw the game a lot alike,” Rivers said on the Colts team podcast in May. “And so, even now when I talk to Shane, it’s like we can paint a picture over a phone conversation about a play, and I know we’re seeing the exact same thing. But Shane has a unique ability to (be) able to get that communicated to the quarterbacks.”

Rivers also has a relationship with the 23-year-old Leonard. Leonard is a Fairhope, Ala., native, and his parents live close to Rivers.  The two have trained together several times in recent years, and Leonard considers Rivers to be a mentor.

#Colts QB Riley Leonard on his mentor (and future teammate?) Philip Rivers:

“The biggest thing that I learned is how intentional he is about every little thing. Like if we’re doing the warmup and we’re taking five-step drops, those five-step drops have to be pristine …” pic.twitter.com/9i8IdID8te

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) December 9, 2025

Now, Rivers will be his teammate.

After retiring from the NFL, Rivers has spent much of his time away from the league coaching high school football at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope. In July of this year, Rivers signed a one-day contract with the Chargers so he could officially retire as a member of their franchise.

Notably, Rivers could also be pushing a potential induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame down the line. If he’s added to the Colts’ active roster, the QB, who was one of 26 modern-era players to be named a semifinalist for the 2026 class, would have to wait an additional five years to be reconsidered for enshrinement.