The Indianapolis Colts shocked the NFL world on Tuesday. Indianapolis signed 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers out of retirement to replace Daniel Jones for the rest of the 2025 season. Now Colts fans are excited to see Rivers back under center as soon as possible.
But will Rivers actually be ready to play in Week 15 against the Seahawks?
ESPN's Stephen Holder and Jeremy Fowler explained that Rivers' ability to hold up to an NFL pass rush could be the deciding factor on if he suits up on Sunday.
“But predictable concerns remain. Can Rivers, for instance, elude a pass rush? That is of utmost importance if Rivers ends up playing on Sunday, as the Seahawks rank fourth in the league with 41 sacks. Seattle also is second in scoring defense, allowing 17.4 points per game,” Holder and Fowler wrote. “As one team source put it, Rivers' quick release and fearlessness in the pocket will help, but how he responds to an NFL pass rush at this age is an unknown variable.”
Rivers performed well during his workout with the Colts, showing off his arm and throwing the entire route tree. He impressed Indy's coaching staff enough to make this experiment happen.
The veteran quarterback already has a good grasp on Indy's playbook. He played in Shane Steichen's offense back in 2020 and had already been chatting concepts throughout the season with Steichen. From a mental perspective, it is easy to imagine Rivers will be ready.
But the physical part of his game is the real question.
Rivers is not yet in optimal football shape, which is not surprising coming out of a four-year retirement. The Colts, and Rivers especially, would be in a bit of an awkward if they started the veteran QB on Sunday.
There's no telling what would happen to Rivers if he's constantly under pressure. And that is almost a guarantee when going up against Seattle's fierce defense.
Colts fans should expect more updates on Rivers' status throughout the week. But at this point, it makes more sense for Indy to wait another week before throwing Rivers back out on the field.
Colts at Seahawks kicks off at 4:25PM ET on Sunday.
