Philip Rivers geared up for his second start for the Indianapolis Colts after coming out of retirement earlier this month. The veteran quarterback was named as the starter for the team’s Week 16 showdown against the playoff-bound San Francisco 49ers.
As Rivers gears up for hisfirst home game at Lucas Oil Stadium after five years, his wife Tiffany and their children were on the sidelines cheering him on. In a photo shared on social media, we see the quarterback’s family, including his 10 children, watching the game from the stands.
In another clip shared by ESPN, Philip Rivers waved towards his family before Monday Night Football kicked off at the Colts’ home base. The video has gone viral, garnering over 100k views on X.
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Philip Rivers was initially signed to the Colts’ practice squad after Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury. He was then elevated to the active squad and was named as the starter during last week’s 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
In his first game out of retirement, the veteran quarterback completed 18 of 27 passes for 120 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rivers last played for the Colts during the 2020 season when he led them to an 11-5 record and the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
That year, he had recorded 4,169 yards and 24 TDs passing before deciding to hang up his cleats in January 2021. Earlier this year, in June, he agreed to a one-day contract with the Chargers so that he could retire as a member of the franchise.
Ex-NFL star J.J. Watt shares honest thoughts on Philip Rivers returning to play for the Colts
After the Colts made the decision to sign the 44-year-old veteran, there was an air of uncertainty regarding this move to get a retired quarterback.
However, ex-three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt was excited to watch Philip Rivers in action on the field. In a tweet he shared on X, the retired defensive end highlighted why the quarterback is best suited to play under coach Shane Steichen.
“Fun Fact learned in production meetings: Philip Rivers ran the same offense as the Colts for his son Gunnar’s HS team this season. He and Shane Steichen spoke weekly about it, discussing plays and even film. So familiarity with the scheme should be no problem whatsoever.”
The Colts are currently placed third in the AFC South with an 8-6 record and a four-game losing streak. Can Rivers secure his first win coming out of retirement in Week 16?