After putting together a remarkable 8-2 start to the season, the Indianapolis Colts are now 8-5 and in brutal shape at the quarterback position. Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles in Sunday’s 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and was replaced by Riley Leonard, whose status is now in question due to a knee injury. Anthony Richardson has been out since suffering an orbital fracture in October.
Things are so desperate for the Indianapolis Colts at the most important position in sports that they’re looking into bringing in a 44-year-old grandfather who last played football in 2020.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo were the first to report that the Colts will bring in Philip Rivers on Tuesday for a workout and will consider signing him to their practice squad.
Ahead of the Eagles-Chargers Monday Night Football game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter delivered breaking news about the Colts’ interest in Rivers on live television. ESPN’s Marcus Spears and Troy Aikman had hilarious reactions to Schefter’s report on the Monday Night Countdown set in Los Angeles.
Adam Schefter informs the “Monday Night Countdown” crew about reports that 44-year-old Philip Rivers, a literal grandfather, will be working out for the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday 🤯 👴 pic.twitter.com/ha56AUpZ54
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 9, 2025
Spears’ face said it all as Schefter spoke about Rivers and the Colts.
https://t.co/0oJoVTV46w pic.twitter.com/HnPRDQ4FE9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 9, 2025
Monday Night Countdown host Scott Van Pelt responded to the report by saying to Aikman, “You’re in incredible shape. How’s the wing?”
“I can’t imagine being out of the game five years and coming back at 44-years-old. I can’t imagine that happening.”
Troy Aikman on Philip Rivers’ possible NFL return pic.twitter.com/ipad4pQAes
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 9, 2025
“I mean, I’ve only been out of the game for 25 years,” Aikman, the ESPN Monday Night Football color commentator, quipped. “I don’t take a pay cut. I’ll come in at full salary. I’ll give ’em a couple downs. I’ll be a third-down specialist. You see these pass-rush specialists. I’ll come in on third downs.”
“This was a year for the Colts that your trajectory is incredible,” Van Pelt said. “Now, here they are, you’re talking to Philip Rivers. I mean, is that a viable thing?”
“I mean, I love Philip Rivers as much as anybody,” Aikman said. “But, I can’t imagine being out of the game for five years and coming back at 44-years-old. I can’t imagine that happening… I’d love to see it. We have Indianapolis coming up (vs. the San Francisco 49ers on MNF on Dec. 22).
“Desperate times take desperate measures,” Aikman added. “They’re leaving no stone unturned. They’re going to do everything they can. So, I understand kicking the tires. I’m sure they put him through a workout to see where he is. And Philip’s one of the best to have ever done it. But that’s a tough task.”
Rivers was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection with the Chargers and spent his last NFL season with the Colts, leading Indianapolis to an 11-5 record in his age-39 season before retiring in January 2021. He threw 24 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions, and put together a 97.0 passer rating that season. The father of 10 has been the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School (Fairhope, AL) since 2021.
While Rivers was still playing quarterback at a high level in his most recent season and is a high-IQ football mind, the idea of him returning to play NFL quarterback at age 44 after a five-year absence from the game is hard to imagine, as Aikman explained.