Colts Expect Daniel Jones To Recover From Achilles Tear By Training Camp
On Tuesday of this week, Daniel Jones underwent surgery on the Achilles tear which brought an early end to his 2025 season. A recovery timeline has now emerged for the pending free agent. 
The Colts expect Jones to be sidelined for a period of six to eight months, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That is notably shorter than the standard recovery timeframe in the case of Achilles tears. If it holds true, however, Jones will meet the team’s target of receiving clearance in time for training camp next summer.
Of course, it remains to be seen if Indianapolis will still have Jones in place by that point. The former No. 6 pick inked a one-year free agent deal and took on starting duties for 2025. Largely speaking, things went far better than anyone expected and the Colts were 7-1 at one point this season. A drop in play on the part of the team occurred when Jones also attempted to play through a fracture in his fibula prior to suffering his Achilles tear.
That injury cast doubt on whether or not a new Colts pact will be agreed to during the coming offseason. As Schefter and colleague Stephen Holder note, though, the team expects to retain Jones for at least 2026. Per Holder, the timeline in place for the 28-year-old is likely to inform Indy’s plans at the quarterback position this spring. No talks on a new contract had taken place prior to Jones going down but will commence this offseason, per Schefter.
A new Colts pact would certainly not come as a surprise, but the structure of such a contract will no doubt be impacted by the injury. That leaves Jones’ financial future as a major storyline around the NFL leading up to a free agent period set to be devoid of other established starters (or at least those who are not approaching the tail end of their careers). Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard are also in place, but they are now viewed as QB1 options for the Colts at this point.
With Jones sidelined, Richardson on IR and Leonard dealing with a PCL sprain suffered in Week 14, it will be Philip Rivers leading the offense tomorrow. Indianapolis (8-5) is currently outside of the playoff picture, and Rivers could be counted on to handle starting duties the rest of the way. After the season, attention will turn to Jones and his ability to meet a loft recovery target.
Colts Place RT Braden Smith On IR
In his first game back from four-plus seasons in retirement, Colts quarterback Philip Rivers will not have a fully healthy offensive line on Sunday in Seattle. The Colts have placed starting right tackle Braden Smith on injured reserve, per a team announcement.
At 8-5 and fighting for its playoff life, Indianapolis will go the rest of the regular season without Smith. The 29-year-old suffered a concussion and a neck injury in a loss to Jacksonville last Sunday.
Along with the Seahawks, Smith will miss games against three other playoff hopefuls in the 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans in the next four weeks. He’ll be eligible to return if the Colts make the playoffs, but they’re on the outside looking in at the moment.
With the four-year, $72MM extension Smith signed in 2021 set to expire after the season, it’s possible he has played his last game with the Colts. The 6-foot-6, 312-pounder has spent his entire career with the franchise since it chose him 37th overall out of Auburn in 2018. Smith has started in 105 of 107 regular-season games, including all 13 in 2025. Pro Football Focus ranks Smith’s performance 45th among 81 qualifying tackles this year.
Looking to protect the immobile Rivers as he returns at age 44, the Colts will count on rookie Jalen Travis to fill in for Smith. Travis, a fourth-rounder from Iowa State, has taken just 73 offensive snaps in his first 13 games. In his starting debut, Travis will face a Seattle defense that ranks fourth in the league in sacks.
In addition to the Rivers and Smith transactions, the Colts elevated defensive tackle Chris Wormley and wide receiver Coleman Owen from the practice squad. It’s the third standard gameday elevation for Wormley, who has picked up five tackles and a sack in two games. If the Colts want to use Wormley again after Week 15, they’ll have to sign him to their active roster. Owen, an undrafted rookie from Ohio, is in line for his NFL debut.
Colts QB Philip Rivers Expected To Start In Week 15
Quarterback Philip Rivers shockingly ended his retirement this week to rejoin the Colts on a practice squad deal. After the 44-year-old showed well in practice, the Colts signed him to their active roster on Saturday. The move put an end to his 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy. A semifinalist before returning to Indianapolis, Rivers will have to wait until 2031 to regain eligibility for enshrinement.
The Colts have not officially named Rivers as their starter for Week 15. He will indeed get the nod, though, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
Rivers, who has spent most of his career with the Chargers, is set to take the reins for the first time since he quarterbacked the Colts to the playoffs during the 2020 season. His most recent start came on Jan. 9, 2021, in a wild-card round loss in Buffalo.
Exactly 1,800 days later (h/t: Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports), Rivers will face another significant test on the road against the 10-3 Seahawks and their second-ranked scoring defense on Sunday. No QB 40 or older has experienced that large of a gap between games, Jones notes.
Nobody envisioned a Rivers reunion taking place at the beginning of the week. However, the Colts are in desperation mode after No. 1 quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in a loss to the Jaguars last Sunday. After a 7-1 start, the Colts’ latest defeat dropped them to 8-5. They’ve spiraled from first place in the AFC to eighth over the past month and a half. They’ll pay Rivers, who has earned $242MM in the NFL, the prorated veteran minimum, per Mike Chappell of FOX59.
Thanks to Rivers’ familiarity with head coach Shane Steichen and their offense, the Colts have more confidence in the eight-time Pro Bowler running the show than their other options. Rookie Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick from Notre Dame, may have been in line for his first career start had Rivers stayed retired. Leonard sprained his PCL in Jacksonville, but he’s now healthy. He joined Rivers in taking first-team practice reps this week. Journeyman backup Brett Rypien is also in the fold.
Already among the league’s least mobile QBs before his initial retirement, Rivers will become the sixth signal-caller to play at 44-plus, Mike Chappell of FOX59 points out. The group currently consists of George Blanda, Steve DeBerg, Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, and Tom Brady.
Rivers hopes to join Testaverde and Brady as passers to win at least one game at his age, though the Colts are staring down a brutal season-ending slate. Rivers helping the Colts rally for a playoff berth would make for an incredible story, but with the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans left on their schedule, the odds are heavily against it.
Colts Sign QB Philip Rivers To Active Roster
DECEMBER 13: The Colts officially signed Rivers to their active roster from their practice squad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They could have used practice squad elevations for the next three games – after this week’s drama, no team would dare poach him – but he seems poised to start for the rest of the season. If that is the case, adding him to the active roster now makes sense.
The move also cements one of the most ironic aspects of Rivers’ decision to come out of retirement. He was a semi-finalist to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year; now, he will not be eligible until 2031.
DECEMBER 12: Once Philip Rivers‘ deal with the Colts was officially in place, attention turned to the matter of when he would play. The now-unretired passer looks to be on course to make his NFL return this Sunday. 
Rivers has practiced each of the past two days, and ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes it is clear which quarterback the Colts are preparing to get the nod for Week 15. Barring an unforeseen development, Rivers will be in place against the Seahawks. Provided that proves to be the case, it will add further to one of the NFL’s most interesting and unexpected stories in recent memory.
Daniel Jones‘ Achilles tear ended his impressive debut season in Indianapolis and left the Colts thin on the QB depth chart. Backup Anthony Richardson remains on injured reserve, while sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard suffered a PCL sprain in Week 14 upon taking over from Jones. Brett Rypien is on the active roster after spending time on the practice squad, but Rivers is viewed as a better option for leading the Colts back into a playoff spot down the stretch.
Comebacks have been considered on more than one occasion in the 44-year-old’s case, but this is the first which has come to bear. Rivers immediately expressed interest in a second Colts stint upon being contacted by the team this past Sunday, as detailed by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Rivers and head coach Shane Steichen (who worked together during their shared time with the Chargers) have remained in contact since their time together ended, with the former using the latter’s offense on the high school team he coaches.
Rivers will presumably reprise his role as the head coach of his eldest son’s HS team next fall. Before that point, however, he is in line to briefly resume his NFL playing career. Doing so will restart the eight-time Pro Bowler’s five-year waiting period with respect to eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In the meantime, Rivers will aim to guide the Colts to a win against a Seahawks defense which ranks near the top of the NFL in several categories.
Indianapolis sits at 8-5, an illustration of how far the team has fallen from a hugely successful start to the campaign. With the Jaguars (9-4) and Texans (8-5) firmly in contention for the AFC South title, a home playoff game is far less certain than it once looked. Securing a wild-card spot will be a strong challenge in its own right, and if the Colts are to achieve that feat it appears Rivers will be tasked with handling QB1 duties right away.
Possibilities For QB Daniel Jones Post-Injury
Just when it seemed like everything was finally working out for Colts veteran quarterback Daniel Jones, a torn Achilles tendon has thrown a wrench in things. It was only two years ago that the Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160MM extension just to bench him by November the next season. Now heading to free agency with a long-term recovery in front of him, there are several possibilities for how Jones’ future could play out. 
ESPN’s Dan Graziano laid out a few theories earlier this week. The first and most obvious option is that the Colts simply re-sign Jones, putting together another one- or two-year deal with some lucrative incentives, serving both parties. With how late in the year this injury has come, Jones is likely to still be rehabbing into the regular season next year. Indianapolis won’t know what to expect upon Jones’ eventual return, so they might not be willing to commit big money on a long-term deal, but they would guarantee a smaller amount in a shorter window, with a possibility for Jones to make a lot more if he can return with some amount of success.
This kind of deal would also benefit Jones, especially if he doesn’t quite like the value of the deals he ends up hearing in free agency. Some teams may lowball his value, giving him a long-term commitment while attempting to get a discount off of the injury and lock him in at a lower rate. The lower, shorter deal with incentives gives Jones a chance at hitting big money bonuses but also provides him the opportunity to renegotiate something better once he gets his sea legs back under him.
There are other options that see Jones leaving Indiana, especially considering that before the injury, he was expected to be one of the top passers on the open market. There are 30 quarterbacks set to hit free agency at the end of this season, and the only ones with talent comparable to what the 27-year-old Jones has displayed this year are Aaron Rodgers (41), Russell Wilson (36), Joe Flacco (40), and maybe Tyrod Taylor (34). Reestablishing himself as a capable starter had set Jones up for a potentially nice payday, but the injury may have altered that trajectory.
If he were to leave, Graziano’s first thought is that he could return to Minnesota. After getting cut by the Giants last year, Jones finished his season with the Vikings, backing up another resurgent veteran in Sam Darnold. Minnesota wanted to retain him but couldn’t guarantee him the starting job with first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy returning from injury. McCarthy has struggled in his first year as the Vikings’ starter, and introducing Jones back into the equation could spur his competitive instincts after he was essentially handed the job this year. It could also give McCarthy some time to sit and develop behind Jones, assuming losing the starting job doesn’t kill the 22-year-old’s confidence.
There are also plenty of options foreign to the three teams Jones has already played for. With projected cuts and contracts coming to an end after this season, the Cardinals, Falcons, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Saints, Jets, and Steelers are all expected to be looking at passers in the offseason. There’s also a chance Jones doesn’t even get that far in the process. Before the injury, there was a popular rumor that a franchise tag might keep him in Indianapolis. Checking in at a projected value of about $46MM, a franchise tag has become a bit less attractive of an option with the injury, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN offered that it’s not completely off the table.
Fowler and Graziano also pointed out the possibility that, whatever the preference of Colts head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, their opinions might not matter. New team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has been seen all season taking diligent notes, and many speculated that Steichen and Ballard were on the hot seat coming into the season. An 8-2 start that saw the team atop the AFC seemed to indicate that their seats had cooled off a bit, but the staff has seen the team lose four of their last five, and without Jones, a seven-game losing streak is certainly on the table. It’s a long shot given the success the team saw when fully healthy, but there’s a chance decision makers could be changing in Indy before the quarterback does.
Ultimately, all we can do for now is speculate and keep a close eye on how things pan out over the next four weeks to close out the regular season. This injury has been a devastating setback for a resurgent Jones campaign, but the young passer still has plenty of road ahead of him. Much remains to be seen before we find out just where that road will lead.
Colts Pursued Broncos QB Sam Ehlinger After Daniel Jones Injury
The Colts made a stunning reunion with Philip Rivers this week after Daniel Jones‘ season-ending injury, but as it turns out, they also pursued another one of their former quarterbacks: Sam Ehlinger.
The Colts, who drafted Ehlinger in the sixth round of the 2021 draft, reached out to his agent shortly after Jones suffered a torn Achilles on Sunday, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, who finished the game after Jones went down, had also injured his knee. So not only did the team need to figure out an emergency starter, they may also have needed an emergency backup.
Indianapolis was already planning on reaching out to Rivers, but the uncertainty of coaxing him out of retirement and the potential need for multiple passers caused them to explore additional options. Ehlinger, who spent the last four years in Indianapolis, was an obvious option. However, he turned down the opportunity for a 53-man roster spot and potentially some playing time to stay on the Broncos’ practice squad as their third-string quarterback.
“We’re really happy here and enjoy the organization, the path we’re on and what we’re building. I want to be part of that,” Ehlinger said of his decision (via Gabriel). “I was in Indianapolis for four years and I love everybody over there. It’s just a difficult situation, obviously.”
There are a few reasons behind Ehlinger’s choice. The first is that he was not guaranteed playing time in Indianapolis. He was in touch with the Colts on Monday and Tuesday, by which time Rivers had agreed to come back. Leonard had also been diagnosed with a Grade 1 PCL sprain and could be available in Week 15 to start or back up Rivers. That would leave Ehlinger in the same situation as he was in Denver.
Ehlinger may also believe he has a better long-term future in Denver with head coach Sean Payton and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, according to Gabriel. The Colts’ situation is very much in flux, but Broncos backup Jarrett Stidham is 29 years old with a contract that expires after the 2026 season. Payton and Webb may be grooming Ehlinger to take over that job behind Bo Nix as soon as next year.
This is not the first time that Ehlinger has turned down interest for another team’s active roster. He has declined multiple offers this year and seems content, if not determined to stay in Denver for the foreseeable future.
Colts Open DeForest Buckner’s Practice Window
DECEMBER 11: Buckner revealed on Thursday (via Chappell) that he has been dealing with a herniated disc in his neck pressing against a nerve. If the issue is not resolved, surgery will be a possibility in the future. For now, the Colts will hope to have him available for the final four games of the season.
DECEMBER 10: The Colts have gone without defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, one of their most important players, for four straight games. Buckner is now working toward a return from IR. The Colts opened his 21-day practice window on Wednesday, Mike Chappell of FOX 59 relays.
Buckner, who last played in a loss to the Steelers in Week 9, has been on the shelf with a neck injury for a month. The Colts were 7-2 when Buckner went down, but they have lost three of four without him. Once the top seed in the AFC, 8-5 Indianapolis has dropped to eighth during what has been an injury-plagued several weeks.
Quarterback Daniel Jones is out for the season after tearing his Achilles in a loss to the Jaguars last Sunday. Starting cornerback Charvarius Ward went on IR with his third concussion of the season on Wednesday, and fellow top CB Sauce Gardner seems likely to miss his second game in a row with a calf injury this Sunday. Gardner will not practice Wednesday, according to Chappell.
While the Colts’ defense won’t have Ward for the rest of the regular season, it could welcome back Buckner sometime in the next 21 days. The three-time Pro Bowler, 31, was enjoying another standout campaign before he went on IR. Buckner has notched 42 tackles, nine TFL, and four sacks in nine games. Despite a lengthy absence, he’s still tied for second among Colts in sacks, trailing only Laiatu Latu‘s 5.5. Pro Football Focus ranks Buckner as the league’s 12th-best interior D-lineman of 2025.
In the wake of Jones’ injury, it’s unclear who will quarterback the Colts for the rest of the season. Newly signed Philip Rivers, brought out of retirement at age 44, sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard, and journeyman Brett Rypien are their options. Considering the Colts’ questions at QB and a daunting slate of remaining opponents in the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans, their chances of rallying for a playoff spot appear slim. Getting Buckner back would improve their odds.
Philip Rivers Addresses Colts Return; Latest On Riley Leonard
Philip Rivers has not played since a narrow Colts wild-card loss to the Bills in January 2021. That ended a one-and-done stint with Indianapolis, and Rivers’ retirement accelerated the franchise’s post-Andrew Luck quarterback carousel. Somehow, Rivers is coming back to the Colts after nearly five years away, being signed to the team’s practice squad following a workout.
Despite the QB’s absence, the Colts have a high number of players (14) still around from his 2020 season in town. The Colts have hung onto the core of their team despite having missed every playoff bracket since Rivers’ first stint ended, but Daniel Jones‘ Achilles tear deals what could be a crippling blow to that nucleus’ chances of playing in another postseason game. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Colts a 26% chance to make the playoffs. They have gone to a historically interesting place to increase those odds.
[RELATED: Anthony Richardson Uncertain To Return From IR This Season]
Following Jones’ injury, Rivers — who turned 44 on Monday — said he wondered if Shane Steichen would call on him in this emergency circumstance. Steichen, who is four years younger than the Colts’ most recent QB signing, was with the Chargers from 2014-20. This involved a four-year overlap as QBs coach and part of the 2019 season as the Bolts’ interim OC. Rivers being close with Steichen and GM Chris Ballard, who is still in place from when he played on a one-year, $25MM deal, helped make this improbable return happen.
Steichen called Rivers on Sunday to discuss a comeback. This was not the first time Rivers was contacted about a comeback. As our Ben Levine reminded Monday, the 49ers would have started him in Super Bowl LVII had they made it past the favored Eagles following Brock Purdy‘s UCL tear.
Kyle Shanahan confirmed Wednesday (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman) he talked with Rivers after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s December 2022 foot fracture, but the coach mentioned the team felt good about Purdy — then a rookie, the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant draftee — so it stood down on a signing. Had San Francisco made the Super Bowl that year, though, Rivers would have started. A Saints 2021 comeback also floated as a possibility, as Jameis Winston had torn an ACL.
Those overtures made a bit more sense than this one, since Rivers has been out of the game so long. The 2004 draftee said (via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder) he discussed the comeback with his wife and a few associates before deciding to give it a try.
“[Football] is a game I love to play, a game that I thought I was done playing. Certainly, I wasn’t really hanging on to any hope of playing again,” Rivers said. “I kind of thought that ship had sailed. But something about it excited me. And it’s kind of one of those deals; the door opens and you can either walk through it and find out if you can do it or run from it.”
While not a Hall of Fame lock, Rivers is in his first year of eligibility; he was named a semifinalist for the 2026 class recently. This reemergence will delay his potential induction by at least five years. Drew Brees, the quarterback Rivers replaced in San Diego, will undoubtedly be enshrined this year after retiring in January 2021.
“I’d not given any thought of actually playing again until about 48 hours ago, to be honest with you, but this wasn’t just any place or any coach. It’s not like, ‘Oh, shoot, I’ll see what happens in the league and see if I can get ready,’” Rivers said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Nathan Brown. “The Hall of Fame is a real honor. To be mentioned with those other 25 guys, but I’m not holding my breath on that.
“And I hadn’t been counting down the years, with all respect to the Hall. If one day I can be part of that group, it would be special – no doubt about it. But the extension of that time, if that comes to be, is not a factor in my decision.”
This Rivers comeback even surpasses the duration of ex-starter Steve DeBerg‘s in the 1990s; DeBerg had retired following the 1993 season, only to be asked back for a 1998 return — also at age 44. DeBerg, however, served as Chris Chandler‘s Falcons backup that year. He made one start — against the Bill Parcells– and Bill Belichick-coached Jets — that ended with a 28-3 Jets win. Rivers’ reemergence is obviously a higher-profile transaction, and Steichen confirmed it could mean a Week 15 starting assignment against a 10-3 Seahawks team.
Steichen did not slam the door on Rivers playing even if Riley Leonard is healthy enough to go. Leonard, who suffered a PCL sprain upon relieving Jones, practiced fully today, but Holder points to Rivers being the more likely Indy starter against a high-end Seattle defense.
Rivers has considerable familiarity with Steichen’s offense, right down to using a version of it at St. Michael Catholic High (Fairhope, Ala.). That influenced his decision to return, and the six-year overlap with Steichen in San Diego and Los Angeles is poised to give the third-year Indianapolis HC a memorable decision.
Rivers is an eight-time Pro Bowler who led the Colts to an 11-5 season under Frank Reich, throwing 24 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. After a down 2019, that 2020 season may play a key role in Rivers’ Hall of Fame case. It is highly unlikely this 2025 cameo will, but it certainly promises to be among the most memorable comebacks in NFL history.
“I’m not here to stinking save the year or be a hero by any means,” Rivers said, via Yahoo’s Jori Epstein. “We got to stinking run the crap out of the football and play defense and do all those things. So if that comes to be, and I’m the one that’s out there, I’m not here to try to save the day. I’m going to know where I’m limited. And as we go, it will get better, if that’s the route we end up going.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/10/25
Today’s NFL practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: G Wyatt Bowles, G Tyler Cooper
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Jordan Fuller
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Ty Summers
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Xavier Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Maurice Hurst
- Released: DT Simeon Barrow Jr.
Houston Texans
- Signed: FB Jakob Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: C Jimmy Morrissey
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Jaret Patterson, DT Kyle Peko
New England Patriots
- Activated from practice squad/injured list: RB Jashaun Corbin
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: RB Craig Reynolds
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Xavier Gipson
- Released: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Adrian Martinez, TE Nick Muse
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T David Sharpe
- Released: RB Trey Sermon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Isaiah Bolden
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Kevon Seymour
Gipson is changing clubs for the third time this season after getting claimed off waivers by the Giants for the second time this year. After starting the season with the Jets and getting cut after a crucial fumble in Week 1, Gipson found his way across town to the other New York team. The Giants waived him after about two and a half weeks, and he was claimed by Philadelphia. His stint with the Eagles has been his longest with any team this year, but he’ll return to the Giants after getting waived once again.
Riley Leonard Dealing With PCL Sprain, ‘Very Real Chance’ Philip Rivers Starts For Colts
DECEMBER 10: Leonard will practice on Wednesday, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The Colts will decide their starter by the end of the week, Erickson adds.
DECEMBER 9: The Colts’ quarterback situation remains in flux after a season-ending injury to quarterback Daniel Jones.
Riley Leonard, who finished Sunday’s game, is dealing with a Grade 1 PCL sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His status will be updated on Wednesday when the Colts release their first injury report of Week 15. That could position Philip Rivers to start within a week of re-signing in Indianapolis.
With Leonard considered day-to-day, there is a “very real chance” that Rivers starts for Indianapolis in Week 15, Rapoport added later in the day. His Monday night workout showed that he still can pass the football, but his conditioning may not be game-ready quiet yet, according to ESPN’s Eric Holder.
The Colts may have been planning to bring Rivers in regardless of Leonard’s injury, but it certainly has raised the urgency for the team to add another quarterback, especially one that could come in and play right away. Rivers is very familiar with Colts head coach Shane Steichen after spending six seasons together with the Chargers. Steichen was the team’s quarterbacks coach for four years while Rivers was the starter. Their relationship played a role in this latest reunion, per Holder.
And despite not playing in the last few years, Rivers still has a deep understanding of the Colts’ offensive scheme. After retiring, he took over as the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. He has been running a version of Steichen’s offense, per CBS Sports’ J.J. Watt, with the two discussing it weekly.
This is not the only time that Rivers has considered coming out of retirement with other quarterback situations occasionally stirring some conversations, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, but none have ever made enough sense to actually pull the trigger. His past relationship with Steichen and the Colts clearly make this a different situation.
Rivers will have a short week to get into playing shape and build chemistry with his new teammates, though he has already played with a few. Left guard Quenton Nelson and right tackle Braden Smith blocked for Rivers in 2020; also in that offense were then-rookies Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman.