The Indianapolis Colts looked like Super Bowl contenders for much of the year. The team's defense is elite, they've got arguably the best running back in football in Jonathan Taylor, and their receiving corps is deep. All that was missing coming into the season was a quarterback.
Few thought the answer to that position was on the roster when Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson were competing in a quarterback competition before the season, but after winning the job, Jones proved himself as a solid starter. He dropped the bust label and became one of the most efficient signal callers in the league this season, leading one of the top offenses in the process.
His success led the Colts to go all in, most notably making a blockbuster trade for Sauce Gardner. However, Jones started to deal with injury issues. The former New York Giant was playing through a broken fibula, but his season wasn't officially shut down until he tore his Achilles tendon.
With Richardson also on injured reserve, and Riley Leonard and Brett Rypien being unproven, the Colts took an unexpected and never-before-seen route to figuring out who their next starting quarterback was going to be. Indianapolis turned to the long-retired Philip Rivers to step up.
The long-time San Diego Charger who ended his career with the Colts is 44 years old and hadn't played football since the 2020 season. Instead, he was coaching high school football. The Colts signed him off the street and immediately gave him the starting gig.
While Rivers' numbers in his first start since returning to the NFL weren't jaw-dropping, he did play admirably in an 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He nearly led his new team to victory, but the Seahawks managed to end the battle with a game-winning drive.
Rivers' return put into question just what the human body is capable of, as 44-years-olds don't really play in the NFL, let alone after a five-year hiatus. His coming out of retirement begs the question: what other quarterbacks who have already hung up their cleats could make a surprising return to the NFL? Check out the gallery to find out.
Tom Brady could certainly unretire
If any retired quarterback could get the better of Father Time, it would be Tom Brady. After all, Brady already did that during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing until he was 45. That is not only older than Rivers currently is, but it also made him the oldest starting quarterback ever.
Brady is the best player in NFL history, so he is just built differently than other players. He seemingly still had plenty left in the tank when he called it quits. After all, one of Brady's seven Super Bowl wins came after he left the New England Patriots. Brady doesn't need the traits of a younger man, such as arm talent, rushing ability, or athleticism.
Brady dominated his entire career because of his high football IQ. He knows what schemes defenses are running and what play calls will work against such defenses. He then gets rid of the ball quickly and he avoids being unnecessarily hit in the process. His throws are delivered to his receivers with precision.
Brady is older than Rivers, but he's played NFL snaps more recently. Brady is currently 48 years old, so a return to the NFL would tie him with George Blanda as the oldest NFL player ever. Blanda played an NFL record 26 seasons as a quarterback and kicker.
Unfortunately, a Brady unretirement can't happen because he is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Brady confirmed that he has the skill set to still play, but his new job title would prevent that from happening. If Brady's ownership didn't prevent a return, he would make a lot of sense for this Raiders team that he is so connected to.
Las Vegas is in quarterback purgatory. Unlike a number of the other subpar teams in the NFL, they don't have a young quarterback who gives the team hope for the future. Geno Smith was the team's starter this year, but he is currently out with an injury and played much worse than anticipated this season.
Michael Jordan, the greatest NBA player ever, came out of retirement to play for the Washington Wizards. It would have been pretty cool if the greatest NFL player ever could have done something similar.
Could Andrew Luck follow in Philip Rivers' footsteps?
Andrew Luck is one of the biggest what-ifs in NFL history. He was immediately an elite quarterback after the Colts drafted him No. 1 overall in 2012, but he took a beating behind a poor offensive line, which led to his decision to retire early and healthy. The Stanford product called it quits at age 29 in 2019 after just seven seasons.
Had Luck never retired, he might not even be too far out of his prime right now. Luck is still just 36 years old. Having not played for seven seasons now, it is possible that his body has gotten right, and perhaps Luck still has the itch to play football. He'd arguably make even more sense as a quarterback to come out of retirement and play for the Colts team that he once suited up for than Rivers.
Luck was once one of the most highly-touted prospects ever. He was the full package as a quarterback because he had killer arm strength, great football IQ, and impressive accuracy. Luck can't be blamed for the retirement decision he made, and nobody would push him to go back on that decision, but if he pulled a Philip Rivers, it would make for one heck of a redemption story.
Matt Ryan could do the Philip Rivers thing
The Colts have arguably the most extensive history of quarterback success stories. The team has had both Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning under center. Those are not only the two best players in franchise history, but they are two of the best players in league history. Manning was succeeded by Luck, who, had it not been for the early retirement, was potentially on the path of becoming an all-time great.
The team has had a carousel of quarterbacks in the years since Luck, though, particularly with QBs who made their names elsewhere but ended their careers in Indianapolis. Rivers, of course, fits the bill in that regard, but so does Matt Ryan. Ryan played 14 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, even winning an MVP along the way.
His 15th and final season, which came in 2022, was with the Colts, though. Ryan ranks ninth in all-time passing yards (62,792) and 10th in passing touchdowns (381). He had 3,057 yards and 14 touchdowns in just 12 games during his final season. Had he played the full season, he could have come close to surpassing 4,000 yards, as he had done in 10 of the previous 11 seasons.
Ryan signed a one-day contract with the Falcons to retire with them, but he could very well do the Philip Rivers thing and unretire for a short stint somewhere. Ryan is 40 years old.
