Lead
On Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2025, the Indianapolis Colts signed 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers to their practice squad after a Monday-night workout with the team. Rivers — who retired following the 2020 season — will rejoin the organization as the Colts navigate an injury-plagued stretch and an 8-5 record. The move comes with immediate roster implications and potential effects on Rivers’s Hall of Fame eligibility if he eventually returns to game action. The team announced the signing as it fights to keep its playoff hopes alive.
Key Takeaways
- Philip Rivers, 44, was signed to the Colts’ practice squad on Dec. 9, 2025, after a workout on Monday night.
- The Colts are 8-5 and have lost starting QB Daniel Jones to a torn right Achilles in a 36-19 loss to Jacksonville.
- Backup Anthony Richardson remains on injured reserve after suffering an orbital fracture; rookie Riley Leonard left Sunday’s game with a right knee injury.
- Rivers spent 16 seasons with the Chargers and played for the Colts in 2020; he has close ties to coach Shane Steichen and several current Colts players.
- Rivers has been coaching high school football in Fairhope, Ala., and signed a one-day contract with the Chargers this July to retire as a Charger.
- If added to the active roster, Rivers’s recent semifinalist status for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class could be affected, delaying eligibility by five years.
Background
The Colts entered December 2025 in the thick of an AFC playoff race but have seen their quarterback room destabilized by high-profile injuries. Daniel Jones suffered a torn right Achilles in the Colts’ 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, creating an immediate vacancy under center. Anthony Richardson — the 2023 first-round pick — has been on injured reserve since sustaining an orbital fracture during a 2023 practice incident, removing another anticipated starter from the depth chart.
Riley Leonard, a sixth-round rookie from Notre Dame, stepped in for Jones on Sunday and showed promise but left the game with a right knee injury that casts doubt on his availability for this weekend’s matchup in Seattle. With veteran Brett Rypien the only other quarterback on the active roster, Indianapolis moved to add experienced depth by bringing Rivers out of retirement. Rivers’s single season with the Colts in 2020 and long tenure with the Chargers created personnel and coaching links that made him a logical, low-friction addition.
Main Event
The Colts hosted Rivers for a workout on Monday night; league sources said the session convinced Indianapolis to add him to the practice squad. The team formally announced the signing on Wednesday, describing the move as an immediate step to bolster the quarterback room. Rivers’s arrival comes nearly five years after his last NFL snap and follows his retirement and subsequent high school coaching in Fairhope, Alabama.
Rivers’s relationship with coach Shane Steichen and several Colts players factored into the decision. Steichen spent significant time on the Chargers’ staff while Rivers was there, and the two remain close; Rivers also has trained with rookie Riley Leonard in recent years. Team officials emphasized that Rivers will initially serve as practice-squad depth and mentor to younger quarterbacks while the club evaluates short-term availability ahead of upcoming games.
Adding Rivers to the practice squad preserves roster flexibility: he can be elevated to the active roster if injuries force the Colts to promote him, but he does not occupy a 53-man roster spot immediately. Front-office sources signaled the move was driven by both Rivers’s familiarity with the Colts’ personnel and the immediate need for a veteran presence in practice and game preparation.
Analysis & Implications
Short-term, Rivers provides an experienced option if the Colts are forced to push a replacement into the starting role. His 16-year NFL career and recent coaching work mean he can help stabilize meetings, walkthroughs and the live portion of practice — functions that matter when a roster is depleted. Whether Rivers can perform at a starting level after five seasons away from game competition is an open, practical question for the coaching staff and medical team.
Strategically, the signing signals the Colts are prioritizing win-now preparations. At 8-5, Indianapolis remains in playoff contention and has limited margin for error. Elevating Rivers to the active roster would be a short-term gamble focused on experience and leadership rather than a long-term solution; the move also preserves the possibility of pairing Rivers with rookies in practice to accelerate their development.
Off-field implications include Rivers’s Hall of Fame timeline: he was a 2026 modern-era semifinalist, and reappearing on an active roster would delay Hall of Fame eligibility until five years after his next retirement. That consideration could influence Rivers’s personal calculus if the Colts seek to add him to the 53-man roster for game duty. Financially and contractually, practice-squad terms are limited and would represent a lower-cost, lower-commitment pathway for the team to access Rivers’s experience.
Comparison & Data
| Quarterback | Status (Dec. 9, 2025) | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Jones | Torn right Achilles (out) | Established starter |
| Anthony Richardson | On injured reserve (orbital fracture) | 2023 first-round pick |
| Riley Leonard | Right knee injury (questionable) | 2025 sixth-round rookie |
| Brett Rypien | Active roster (only other QB) | Veteran journeyman |
| Philip Rivers | Signed to practice squad (Dec. 9, 2025) | 16-year veteran, retired 2020 |
The table summarizes the Colts’ quarterback depth entering the week. It highlights why the club moved quickly for veteran help: two top options are sidelined long term, the rookie’s availability is uncertain, and only a journeyman veteran otherwise remains available.
Reactions & Quotes
Team and locker-room voices framed Rivers’s signing as a mixture of practical need and an easy cultural fit. The Colts have repeatedly referenced Rivers’s relationships within the building and his ability to communicate with quarterbacks in a way that aligns with coach Steichen’s approach.
“He and I saw the game a lot alike.”
Philip Rivers, Colts podcast (May)
Rivers made that comment earlier in the year describing his connection with Steichen; the remark resurfaced as evidence of why the two can work together quickly. Teammates who have trained with Rivers also noted his attention to detail.
“The biggest thing that I learned is how intentional he is about every little thing… those five-step drops have to be pristine.”
Riley Leonard via social media
Leonard — who has trained with Rivers in Fairhope — called Rivers a mentor, a dynamic that likely eased the Colts’ decision to pursue him for the practice squad.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Rivers will be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster for the Colts’ next game remains unconfirmed.
- The timeline for Riley Leonard’s recovery and game availability for the upcoming Seattle matchup has not been officially cleared.
- Any formal impact of Rivers’s signing on his Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility is procedural and will depend on whether he plays in a regular-season game; that outcome is not yet determined.
Bottom Line
The Colts’ signing of Philip Rivers to the practice squad is a pragmatic response to a sudden depletion at quarterback. Rivers brings experience, familiarity with coaching staff and locker-room relationships that should help stabilize practices and provide an emergency option if injuries force the team’s hand.
How much Rivers contributes on game day — and whether this move affects his Hall of Fame timeline — depends on short-term health updates and coaching decisions. For now, the signing reduces immediate roster risk and gives the Colts a veteran voice as they press toward the playoffs.
Sources
- The Athletic / The New York Times (national news outlet)
- Indianapolis Colts — Team news & announcements (official team site)
- James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) on Twitter (social media post quoting Riley Leonard)