When the Browns added Joe Flacco late in the 2023 season, he began on the team’s practice squad before bumping up to the active roster. The journeyman also played for more than the prorated veteran minimum.
Once signed from the Cleveland’s P-squad, Flacco was attached to a one-year, $2.2MM deal. Philip Rivers is on no special arrangement as an emergency starting quarterback. The unretired passer is tied to the veteran minimum for what is expected to be a short second stint with the Colts, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes.
The vet minimum for players with more than seven years of service time is $1.26MM. With Rivers set to be on the Colts’ roster for four games (in all likelihood), he will earn $279K for his Indianapolis stay.
He last played for $25MM in Indy, reuniting with Frank Reich as a free agent. That AAV matched Tom Brady‘s Buccaneers number in 2020. Rivers walked away following his age-38 season, leaving the Colts to try the trade route (Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan) before what appears to be a whiff via the draft (Anthony Richardson). During a first career chapter that presents a solid Hall of Fame case, Rivers collected more than $242MM.
Richardson, whose fully guaranteed rookie deal ($33.99MM) runs through the 2026 season, is in the IR-return window. Rivers will remain the Colts’ starter in Week 16, however. With the team hosting the 49ers on Monday night, a national audience will observe the 44-year-old passer’s effort to keep the Colts (8-6) in the playoff race.
In a gutsy effort against the Seahawks, Rivers added a touchdown pass to his career total. That number now stands at 422 — sixth in NFL history. Although Matthew Stafford sits in ninth, with Dan Marino (420) and Ben Roethlisberger (418) between he and Rivers, the MVP favorite has a chance to pass the former Chargers standout this season. That will depend on how Rivers fares against the 49ers and whether Shane Steichen turns to Richardson or Riley Leonard — a player who should be considered more likely than Richardson to be on the 2026 roster — over the final two weeks.
I don’t think any of us thought Rivers was doing this for the money…
$279,000 – taxes is probably worth less than the five year extension he’s getting on league health coverage for him and his family.
That amount of cash can also vanish pretty quickly if you figure he takes a private jet home to make an appearance at Christmas, he gets some extra gifts for his family for coming out of retirement just in time to be away for the holidays, and gets a nice year end gift for his linemen.
(Not that the guy who’s already been paid north of $240 million needs the money.)
With all those kids and his babymaker – there could be the possibility of considerable medical issues over the next five years. Still with the injury risk associated with playing QB, and his age; why would you place yourself in jeopardy for such a piddly amount of money??
He’s clearly not doing it for the money.
@jacksson13. His nfl insurance was going to run out. It now resets for the next 5 years. Also same with the hall of fame. He very well could’ve fell of the ballot probably in a better position now with only having to worry about Rodgers.
READ my post. I did acknowledge the reset of his medical insurance since I replied to a comment in which the poster brought up the medical insurance being reset. The ACTUAL dollars conveyed to Rivers in his contract is laughable considering his career credentials.
@jackson13. Apparently im muted. Don’t see this post. I was also talking about the hall of fame as well. Don’t think its solely one answer. Probably wants to win a ring, and health insurance, and resetting his hall of fame eligibility are the consolation prizes.
Mahomes is on the shelf so perhaps Rivers can step in as a State Farm replacement and pocket some endorsement money 🙂
Hardly a journeyman!
Philip Rivers is one of the greatest modern QB’s to have never even played in a Super Bowl. As the Chargers are an AFC team, Rivers’s path to a Super Bowl was mostly blocked by Tom Brady (2006, 2007, 2018).
Rivers has a good chance at the playoffs and a small chance at a Super Bowl appearance. That’s why he rolled the dice.
Good post, well done.
Possibly more accurate may be that Rivers has a small chance to make the playoffs and the smallest of a non-zero number chance at the SB.
The Colts need to win two of three to make the postseason…
When Rivers was signing up for the gig and in early discussions, the situation was rosier than it is today, that’s for sure.