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Philip Rivers, at 44, is back in an NFL building as the Indianapolis Colts brought back their former playmaker to potentially help them make the playoffs.
Rivers hasn’t played in the league since 2020, but the Colts believe he can still break through, which begs the question: Does Tom Brady feel the same way?
“Who retires and then retires and then retires again? Who does that? It’s ridiculous that Philip would do that,” Brady joked about Rivers rejoining the Colts during his appearance on FOX Sports’ “The Herd.”
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) before playing against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card game at Bills Stadium on January 9, 2021. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)
But could Brady still play quarterback right now at age 48 if he decided to re-enter the NFL?
“Yes, I certainly could,” he told Colin Cowherd. “I think the answer for me would be yes. I’m no longer allowed to do it because I’m a minority owner of the [Las Vegas] Raiders, so I can’t retreat.”
Brady’s previous joke refers to his retirement on February 1, 2022, after playing 22 illustrious seasons in the league. However, just 40 days after his announcement, Brady was back in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers chair for the 2022 season.
PHILIP RIVERS ACCEPTS NFL RETURN AS QB AFTER RETURN TO COLTS: ‘I THOUGHT THAT SHIP HAD SAILED’
Brady then retired “for good” after that season, where the Bucs lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.
And even if Brady wanted to miraculously return to the field, he couldn’t consider playing for the Raiders. It’s against NFL rules.
But Rivers, who has been coaching at a high school in Alabama since his playing days ended in 2020, now finds himself in position to start against the visiting Seattle Seahawks this Sunday.
It’s a crucial moment for the Colts, losers of their last three games since the bye week, leaving them with a record of 8-5 this season. They are trying to compete with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who they just lost to on Sunday, and are now 9-4 leading the AFC South. The Houston Texans, who have reeled off five straight wins behind their league-leading defense, are also 8-5, making this a division to watch in the remaining four games of the regular season.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during practice at the Colts’ training facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The reason for Rivers’ reunion in Indy revolves around the loss of Daniel Jones, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon after trying to play with a fractured fibula. Jones was enjoying a season that revitalized his career, which looked completely different in 2024 after being released by the New York Giants midseason.
Then rookie Riley Leonard, who replaced Jones in Jacksonville, suffered a knee injury, prompting the Colts to call up Rivers. After a visit to see if he was fit enough to play, they put pen to paper, and now head coach Shane Steichen can turn to the 44-year-old as reporters believe they are seeing him take the majority of the first-team reps in practice.
“I’m very excited to see Philip play,” Brady added. “If he’s out there, that’s great. It speaks to how much he loves the game and what he’s still really capable of doing.”
Rivers may not be overly agile, but then again, he told reporters that his strengths on the football field never revolved around what he could do with his legs. He was always the arm talent, displaying accurate ball and good decision making during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers and Colts.
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“For the quarterback, this game is from the neck up,” Brady said. “We used to have a saying at Michigan: ‘Mental is to physical like four to one at the quarterback position.’ That doesn’t really go away. Do you still have the physical ability to do it: take the hits, make the throws, the drops, get some time in the pocket?
“If Philip has been practicing those things, then we will all see it on full display in Seattle on Sunday afternoon.”
