Colts to Start Philip Rivers Less Than One Week After 44-Year-Old’s Unretirement

Philip Rivers hasn’t played an NFL snap in nearly five years, but he’ll take the field Sunday against the Seahawks.

Philip Rivers is back for one last job. / Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Folks, it’s really happening.

On Saturday morning, the Colts activated recently unretired Philip Rivers, a cherubic 44 years young, to their active roster, with reports indicating that he will start on Sunday against the Seahawks.

It’s a development that was inconceivable just days ago, but after Indianapolis weighed its options following Daniel Jones’s season-ending injury, a call was made to Rivers, and he answered.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic wrote “Rivers can still sling the ball, but he’s not very mobile. Expect a lot of sacks—especially against a Seahawks defense that ranks fourth in that category,” citing a Colts team source.

Coach Shane Steichen pushed back all week on naming a starting quarterback, with rookie Riley Leonard also a potential option, but dealing with an injury of his own.

“We are working through that right now,” Steichen said of naming his Week 15 starter on Friday. “Literally just got off the practice field, but yeah good week of work and we'll have those discussions here the next couple hours.”

Apparently those discussions have officially been had, and the conclusion the Colts came to is that Rivers is their best option for the team as they look to convert their extremely hot start to the year into a postseason run.

Kickoff between the Colts and Seahawks is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.

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