Philip Rivers, 44, officially tabbed as Colts starter, will play in first NFL game in nearly five years

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The Philip Rivers comeback is official.

The Indianapolis Colts have tabbed the 44-year-old grandfather as their starting quarterback for this Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

It will be Rivers’ first game since 2020.

Rivers announced his retirement from the NFL after that season and turned to coaching high school football. There were reports in 2023 that he was eyeing a comeback, but nothing ever materialized.

However, as Daniel Jones tore his Achilles and rookie Riley Leonard injured his knee after replacing the veteran, coupled with Anthony Richardson being injured, the Colts did not have many places to turn.

“I wasn’t hanging onto any hope of playing again. I kind of thought that ship had sailed,” Rivers, who played 16 seasons for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before joining the Colts in 2020, said earlier this week. “But something about it excited me. It’s one of those deals where a door opens, and you either walk through it and find out if you can do it, or run from it. I know there’s risk involved, but the only way to find out is going for it.”

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Rivers added that he happened to be watching the Colts game at the moment Jones fell to the turf. He admitted that it crossed his mind that he might eventually receive a call from Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen.

“When that happened, in my mind, I was like, ‘What in the world?’ Just how crazy this would be on the quarterback position, I have to admit I thought,’I wonder if Shane will call,’” Rivers said. “Immediately, the competitor in you gets excited.”

Depending on how many games Rivers plays, he could eclipse 64,000 career passing yards. He currently has 421 touchdowns on a 64.9 completion percentage.