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Philip Rivers, at 44 years old, is back in an NFL building as the Indianapolis Colts brought back their former signal caller to potentially help them reach the playoffs.
Rivers hasn’t played in the league since 2020, but the Colts believe he can still sling the pigskin, which begs the question: Does Tom Brady feel the same way?
“Who retires and then unretires and then is ultimately going to retire again? Who does that? That’s ridiculous for Philip to 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 Jan. 9, 2021. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)
But could Brady still play quarterback right now at 48 if he decided to reenter the NFL?
“Yes, I certainly could,” he told Colin Cowherd. “I think the answer for me would be yes. I’m not allowed to anymore because I’m a minority owner of the [Las Vegas] Raiders, so I can’t unretire.”
The prior quip from Brady refers to his retirement on Feb. 1, 2022, after playing 22 illustrious seasons in the league. However, just 40 days after his announcement, Brady was back in the saddle with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
PHILIP RIVERS EMBRACES NFL COMEBACK AT QUARTERBACK AFTER RETURN TO COLTS: ‘I THOUGHT THAT SHIP HAD SAILED’
Then, Brady retired “for good” after that season, where the Bucs lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.
And even if Brady wanted to miraculously get back on the gridiron, he wouldn’t be able to considering his stake in the Raiders. It goes against NFL rules.
But Rivers, who has been coaching high school in Alabama since his playing days were complete in 2020, now finds himself in position to potentially start against the Seattle Seahawks on the road this Sunday.
It’s a crucial time for the Colts, losers of their last three games since the bye week, which leaves them at 8-5 this season. They’re gunning to compete with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who they just lost to on Sunday, and are now at 9-4 leading the AFC South. The Houston Texans, who have ripped off five straight wins behind their league-leading defense, are also 8-5, making this a division to watch in the remaining four regular-season games.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) on 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 surrounds the loss of Daniel Jones, who suffered a torn Achilles after trying to play through a broken fibula. Jones was enjoying a season that revitalized his career, which looked entirely different in 2024 after being released by the New York Giants mid-season.
Then, rookie Riley Leonard, who took over for Jones in Jacksonville, suffered a knee injury, which led the Colts to call Rivers. After a visit to see if he was in shape enough to play, they put pen to paper, and now head coach Shane Steichen may be going to the 44-year-old as reporters believe they’re watching him take most of the first-team reps at practice.
“I’m very excited to watch Philip play,” Brady added. “If he’s out there, it’s just very cool. It speaks to how much he loves the game and really what he’s able to do still.”
Rivers may not be too spry, but then again, he told reporters that his strengths on the football field never revolved around what he could do with his legs. It was always the arm talent, showcasing an accurate ball and good decision-making during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers and Colts.
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“This game is about, for the quarterback, from the neck up,” Brady said. “We used to have a saying at Michigan, ‘The mental is to the physical as four is to one at the quarterback position.’ That doesn’t really go away. Do you still have the physical ability to still do it — take the hits, make the throws, the drops, buy a little time in the pocket?
“If Philip has been practicing those things, then we’re all going to see it on full display in Seattle on Sunday afternoon.”
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