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Could Wolfpack Legend Philip Rivers Make an NFL Return?

The former NC State quarterback could be a candidate to fill in at quarterback for the Colts.
Tucker Sennett|
Jan 9, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) calls a play in the third quarter wildcard playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Bills Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Jan 9, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) calls a play in the third quarter wildcard playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Bills Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

RALEIGH — While former NC State quarterback Philip Rivers has been retired since 2020 and coaching his son and four-star quarterback recruit Gunner at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama, the Wolfpack and NFL legend could be making a surprise return to the league.

The Indianapolis Colts lost their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, to a torn Achilles tendon in their Week 14 loss to their division rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones' rookie backup Riley Leonard suffered an injury in the same game and former first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson remains sidelined as he deals with an eye injury. Could Rivers be an option for the Colts?

The rumors of a Rivers return to the NFL

Rivers, who turned 44 on Monday, will reportedly work out for the Colts on Tuesday as a potential option for the team's practice squad, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The veteran signal caller would be a break-glass emergency option should Leonard's injury be worse than expected and sideline him for longer than initially believed.

The former Wolfpack quarterback recently made an appearance in Raleigh with his son for NC State's rivalry matchup against North Carolina, in which the Wolfpack downed the Tar Heels 42-19. St. Michael already bowed out of their postseason, meaning Rivers has no remaining coaching obligations in 2025 should he decide to rejoin the professional ranks with the Colts.

In Rivers' lone season with the Colts, he helped lead the team back to the postseason just a year after the shocking retirement of star quarterback Andrew Luck set the franchise back. He threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, as the Colts went 11-5 with the future Hall of Fame quarterback at the helm.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen knows Rivers well, as he served as a member of the Chargers coaching staff with Rivers from 2014 to 2019. Steichen clearly believes the Wolfpack legend could still help his team as he faces a crisis at the quarterback position. Should Rivers make a return, he would become the oldest quarterback in the NFL, surpassing Steelers veteran Aaron Rodgers, who is 42.

Rivers remains one of the greatest athletes to ever come through NC State as he passed for 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns in his four years with the Wolfpack. He finished his collegiate career with a 30-point win over Kansas in the 2003 Tangerine Bowl, capping off four-straight bowl appearances with a third win in the postseason.

Once the veteran quarterback completes his workout in Indianapolis, it will be easier to tell whether he has a shot at making a surprising return to the professional ranks. Rivers was already a major contingency option for another NFL franchise in 2023. The 49ers planned on bringing in Rivers had they won the NFC Championship against the Eagles, but ultimately fell after Brock Purdy suffered an injury.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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