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

The Philip Rivers comeback is official.

The Indianapolis Colts person tabbed the 44-year-old gramps arsenic their starting backmost for this Sunday's crippled against the Seattle Seahawks.

It volition beryllium Rivers' archetypal crippled since 2020.

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Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) drops backmost to walk Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during signifier astatine the Colts grooming installation successful Indianapolis.

Rivers announced his status from the NFL aft that play and turned to coaching precocious schoolhouse football. There were reports successful 2023 that helium was eyeing a comeback, but thing ever materialized.

However, arsenic Daniel Jones tore his Achilles and rookie Riley Leonard injured his genu aft replacing the veteran, coupled with Anthony Richardson being injured, the Colts did not person galore places to turn.

"I wasn’t hanging onto immoderate anticipation of playing again. I benignant of thought that vessel had sailed," Rivers, who played 16 seasons for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers earlier joining the Colts successful 2020, said earlier this week. "But thing astir it excited me. It’s 1 of those deals wherever a doorway opens, and you either locomotion done it and find retired if you tin bash it, oregon tally from it. I cognize there’s hazard involved, but the lone mode to find retired is going for it."

Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) connected Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during signifier astatine the Colts grooming installation successful Indianapolis, Indiana.  (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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Rivers added that helium happened to beryllium watching the Colts crippled astatine the infinitesimal Jones fell to the turf. He admitted that it crossed his caput that helium mightiness yet person a telephone from Indianapolis manager Shane Steichen.

"When that happened, successful my mind, I was like, ‘What successful the world?’ Just however brainsick this would beryllium connected the backmost position, I person to admit I thought,'I wonderment if Shane volition call,’" Rivers said. "Immediately, the rival successful you gets excited."

Depending connected however galore games Rivers plays, helium could eclipse 64,000 vocation passing yards. He presently has 421 touchdowns connected a 64.9 completion percentage.

Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) connected the sideline during the crippled against the Houston Texans astatine NRG Stadium connected Dec. 6, 2020. (Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)

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Indianapolis, which started 7-1 but has since mislaid 4 of their past five, volition look the Seattle Seahawks to effort to support their playoff hopes alive. 

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