Days Off The Couch: Will 44-Year-Old Philip Rivers Actually Start For The Colts Vs. Nasty Seahawks Defense?
Philip Rivers returns, but will he get on the field?
Philip Rivers coming out of retirement to join the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 is the storyline NFL fans needed to lock into this final stretch of the regular season.
This week, one big question looms: Is Old Man Rivers really going to play less than a week off the couch?
Week 15: Indianapolis Colts at Seattle Seahawks: 4:25 p.m. (ET), Seattle (-13.5 Favorites)
Not just play; if he starts or sees action, will he be able to walk off the field after facing the nasty Seattle Seahawks defense?
Given several factors, days away from a critical game (and needing a win), the Colts face an uphill battle to get Rivers under center.
Will Rivers Play In Week 15? Don't Hold Your Breath.
Indianapolis invited the 44-year-old Rivers for a workout on Monday (Rivers' birthday) and added him to the practice squad on Tuesday following the loss of starter Daniel Jones to an Achilles rupture.
Backup rookie quarterback Riley Leonard's injury status forced Indy to consider all options, and thinking outside the box, the Colts resurrected Rivers after five years in retirement. Leonard was dealing with a sore knee on Monday.
"We'll see," head coach Shane Steichen said on Leonard's chances of starting.
Former NC State quarterback Philip Rivers attends the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
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By Wednesday, the rookie was elevated to a full participant at practice, likely indicating that Rivers will ride the bench for another week before gaining serious traction to start for the Colts, who are fighting for a playoff berth.
As Rivers said himself, he's not expecting to be the Colts' savior, and the team probably agrees. If they can ride Riley Leonard, which appears to be the case this week, they will.
Most NFL fans who welcome a gunslinger from the early 2000s era of football are worried Seattle's pass rush will swallow him up.
Rivers' Mobility and the Colts' Offense
Looking at Rivers at his press conference on Wednesday, the guy looks completely out of football shape. He's reportedly listed at 236 lbs. and is well aware of his limited mobility.
When asked about his weight, Rivers responded,
"Not what it was when I walked off the field in Buffalo (Jan. 2021) ... But I ain’t never ran away from anybody anyways."
Rivers enjoyed a hearty laugh, probably knowing he was volunteering for a chaotic tour aboard the Titanic.
In Steichen's Colts offense, quick timing and mobility are a boon to quarterbacks. Having lost three straight games, the Colts sit third in the AFC South (8-5) and need an offensive spark more than ever.
Based on the limited footage of Rivers' throwing this week, the 44-year-old is certainly throwing like a 44-year-old, not named Tom Brady.
Previous QB1 Daniel Jones' athleticism lent itself to Steichen's schematics, which probably explains Anthony Richardson's selection, the ultra-mobile QB, with a questionable arm, who's out with an orbital fracture.
It's a great story for the league in a seemingly slow year on the headlines front. The upside of Rivers' return is still worth keeping an eye on, though Indy may struggle to bring him in for a Week 17 matchup against Will Anderson and the Texans' elite defense.
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