Cam Newton, who is eight years younger than Philip Rivers, wants to know why the Indianapolis Colts didn’t reach out to him when they needed a quarterback.
The 36-year-old said on the 4th&1 with Cam Newton show that the 44-year-old Rivers signing with the Colts was “almost like a slap to my face.”
Newton also reacted to the suggestion he is now working in the media and not someone who would be available to sign by asking rather incredulously, “Did Philip Rivers send any type of signs that he was available? Why are you asking me to do something that everybody else didn’t do?”
He also pointed out he did not officially retire and is still working out.
It’s safe to say Newton, like so many others, was rather shocked the Colts added Rivers. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported they signed him to their practice squad, which underscored just how desperate the AFC South team was for quarterback depth.
After all, Daniel Jones is out for the season with an Achilles injury, Anthony Richardson is on injured reserve with a broken orbital and Riley Leonard suffered a knee injury when he came into Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in place of Jones.
If Leonard, who head coach Shane Steichen said will “hopefully” be available for the upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks, cannot play, it would have left the Colts with just Brett Rypien from their practice squad.
Still, Rivers was an unlikely addition.
He has not played since the 2020 season, although he was effective for Indianapolis that year and completed 68 percent of his passes for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while going 11-5 as a starter.
Rivers may be 44 years old, but that was a better season than the last time Newton played in 2021 when he went 0-5 as a starter while completing 54.8 percent of his passes for 684 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions for the Carolina Panthers.
Newton has quite the track record as an MVP, Rookie of the Year and three-time Pro Bowler who could make plays with his arm and legs, but that version of the playmaker was not on display the last time he took the field.
