Philip Rivers, who has not played in the NFL since 2020, is signing to the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
With starter Daniel Jones out for the season because of a torn right Achilles and backup Riley Leonard dealing with a knee injury, the Colts turned to Rivers as an emergency solution.
Indianapolis brought in Rivers, 44, for a workout Monday night, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday. Rivers threw the ball well, the source told Fowler.
Rivers is currently a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. Per the Hall of Fame, Rivers signing to the Colts’ practice squad has no effect on his eligibility. However, if he signs to the Colts’ active roster his eligibility clock would reset, whether or not he takes a snap in a game, and he wouldn’t be eligible again until 2031.
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Rivers has intimate knowledge of the Colts’ offensive scheme, and his working relationship with coach Shane Steichen will be seamless. They worked closely during Steichen’s days as the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator before Rivers’ one season with the Colts.
The Colts believe Rivers’ familiarity could give them a realistic chance to stay competitive.
He was impressive in his final season with the Colts in 2020. Indianapolis finished 11-5 with Rivers under center, making the playoffs as an AFC wild card. The Colts lost to the Buffalo Bills in a first-round game and, several weeks later, Rivers retired. No Colts team since that 2020 squad has averaged more than the 253.3 passing yards produced by Rivers.
Indianapolis won four of its last five games that season to clinch a playoff spot. And Rivers delivered throughout the season, completing 68% of his pass attempts and throwing 24 touchdown passes.
The Colts’ signing of Rivers indicates the depth of their desperation. Jones had been enjoying a career year in his first season in Indianapolis, but he had struggled amid a left fibula stress fracture in recent games. On Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones tore his right Achilles in a noncontact injury.
Leonard finished the game and was expected to fill in the rest of the season. But Steichen said Leonard, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, reported an unspecified knee issue to the team’s medical staff Monday morning. A source later told ESPN’s Schefter that Leonard had a strained knee ligament and was considered week-to-week. The Colts said it was unclear whether Leonard would be available for Sunday’s road game against the Seattle Seahawks.
With 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson Sr. also on injured reserve, the Colts had only journeyman quarterback Brett Rypien on their practice squad before adding Rivers.
The Colts (8-5) are sitting just outside the AFC playoff field, losing a tiebreaker for the final spot with the Houston Texans. Indianapolis has four games remaining in the regular season, against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Jaguars and Texans.
