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.”
Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel Likely To Keep Job
Don’t look now, but the Dolphins have turned it around.
Mike McDaniel‘s squad has won four games in a row and five of their last six. The offense has looked good in spurts with at least 30 points three times in that stretch, but the defense has been the highlight. The Dolphins allowed 28 points in their loss to the Ravens – many of which came off offensive turnovers – and has not allowed more than 17 otherwise. They have also forced 10 turnovers in their last six matchups.
Miami’s turnaround has quieted the chatter around the team parting ways with McDaniel. Those prognostications seemed to be a reflection of the Dolphins’ poor performance more than their desire to move on from the 42-year-old head coach. Reports out of Miami consistently indicated that McDaniel could be retained in 2026 regardless of the team’s finish.
That decision, of course, lies with owner Stephen Ross. His vision for the Dolphins’ future will shape what appears to be a pivotal offseason for the franchise. In the past, he has seemed willing to tank and rebuild the roster, but he does not seem inclined to do so now. Ross fired general manager Chris Grier before the trade deadline partially because Grier wanted to tear down the roster and restart, per Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post.
If Ross isn’t looking to rebuild, then it stands to reason that he will keep McDaniel for at least one more season. The Dolphins are already stuck with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for 2026 due to his untradeable contract, so they might as well retain the coach they hired to pair with him.
That is a common perspective around the league, according to La Canfora, as even teams who are in need of a quarterback will not want to take on his $54MM guaranteed compensation for 2026. The Dolphins seem poised to run it back with McDaniel and Tagovailoa, which may give them one last chance to save their jobs. However, Ross could already have given up on this iteration of the Dolphins and may be waiting for the 2027 offseason when he can cleanly move onto a new head coach and quarterback at the same time.
Ross’ decision on Grier’s replacement will also be a key factor in the Dolphins’ offseason. They will likely get renewed interest in assets like Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane, but McDaniel may not want to move on from key cogs in his offensive scheme. Moving those players would indicate that McDaniel and Tagovailoa are having a lame duck year with very little chance of sticking around in 2027.
Stock Still High For Texas QB Arch Manning
In the first few days following the 2025 NFL Draft, rumors were already abuzz that Texas quarterback Arch Manning was the favorite to follow in his uncles’ footsteps as the future No. 1 overall pick of the event in 2026. Months later, it became clear scouts had fallen out of love with the 2026 crop of passers, after expressing hope for improvement over last year’s. 
Several quarterbacks projected to emerge as stars failed to meet expectations early, and Manning was not spared from that group. It seemed as if Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza was the only early name who lived up to the hype, though he was joined by new standout starters Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Dante Moore (Oregon). According to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, though, Manning’s stock hasn’t dropped nearly as much as you might think. In conversations with three college scouts and two NFL executives, all five evaluators told Vacchiano that Manning would still be a Day 1 pick; three of them said he’d still be QB1.
There are a couple factors at play here. Namely, Manning’s first season wasn’t nearly as bad as people may think, the 21-year-old still oozes talent and potential, and his last name still carries a lot of weight in the NFL.
Manning came into the 2025 season with sky-high expectations, mostly dictated by the media but also fueled by flashes of success shown in backup duty to Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers. In his redshirt freshman year, a pair of performances in mop up duty against UTSA and as an injury replacement starter against Mississippi State, Manning showed what could be, completing 35 of 43 passes for a completion percentage of 81 and throwing for a combined 548 yards and six touchdowns in the two contests. As a result, many expected an immediate emergence as a Heisman-favorite when Manning was named the new starter.
There’s no way around it, the start of his first season as a starter was rough. Struggles against a tough Ohio State defense were to be expected, but when Manning’s issues carried over into intended cupcake games versus San Jose State and UTEP, cries of overrated began to fall. Eventually, though, Manning started to come around, churning out some strong performances over tougher teams as he got his feet wet. In three late-season games against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas, Manning averaged 354 passing yards while throwing 10 touchdowns to one pick and completing 66 percent of his passes.
Vacchiano’s sources argue that Manning’s first season as a starter is only a disappointment when compared to the impossible expectations that had been set up for him before he was ever even named starter. Taking a step back and viewing the improvements that took place over time, Manning had a season most schools would be perfectly happy with.
In addition, Manning showed that he was learning to use so many of the tools that impressed scouts to begin with. He has a deceptive mobility — 244 rushing yards for eight touchdowns — given his prototypical quarterback frame at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. There’s still plenty that needs polishing in Manning’s game, but at times this year, he displayed the arm, the legs, the head, and the overall ability to play quarterback at a high level.
NFL scouts and execs will view him the same way, too. Knowing there will be some wrinkles to iron out will do little to discourage some teams from adding a Manning to their franchise. Vacchiano quoted one executive telling him not to “underestimate the power of the Manning name.” He is viewed best as a project, though, not an NFL-ready product. Most seem to think he’d benefit best from sitting a year or two before starting à la Patrick Mahomes or Jordan Love. A dream scenario Vacchiano offered sees Rams head coach Sean McVay parking Manning behind Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles for a year or two.
Manning has until January 14 to declare for the draft as an underclassman, but ultimately, he is still expected to return to school for another year, at least. Some expect him to follow his family’s example and fully exhaust his collegiate eligibility, but others believe it’ll be hard to keep him from coming out in 2027 at the latest. If he were to make the decision to depart from Austin after just one year as the starter, though, he may just fulfill those early expectations of becoming a No. 1 overall pick after all.
NFL To Adjust First-Round Time Limit For 2026 Draft
The NFL draft has gone through numerous changes throughout its 90-year history. Another will adjust how much time teams have to make picks come April.
Rather than the usual 10-minute time limit for teams to make their first-round selections, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there will be an eight-minute limit in 2026. This is being framed as a TV-geared adjustment, as last year’s first round ended at around 11:45pm on the east coast. Teams were on board with the change, per Schefter. Roger Goodell had mentioned this as a possibility in April.
This represents a second notable trim in pick time for teams’ top selections. In 2009, the league reduced teams’ time on the clock in Round 1 from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. That change came about because the league tried a two-day setup in which the first and second rounds unfolded on the draft’s first day and then Rounds 3-7 commenced on Day 2.
Even the 15-minute period brought memorable hiccups, as the 2003 draft showed when the Vikings missed their first-round pick. The Jaguars and Panthers jumped them in line, though Minnesota regrouped and chose tackle Bryant McKinnie at No. 9 following the snafu. In 2011, the Ravens — who had been negotiating a trade with the Bears — missed their first-round pick, which went to the Chiefs after Baltimore’s 10-minute clock expired. The Ravens ended up OK after that, drafting long-serving cornerback Jimmy Smith one pick later (No. 27).
This change to eight minutes will truncate teams’ time to pull off trades. Although trade parameters are regularly worked out before draft night — with some being agreed to before a team goes on the clock — they only represent framework due to clubs not knowing if coveted players will actually be on the board at the time their pick goes live. As more intel on teams’ processes while on the clock surfaces each year, it will be interesting to know if the new time limit will make an impact.
This change is less significant than the 15-minute to 10-minute switch 16 years ago, and the 2010 draft broke up the format for TV purposes by dividing the draft into a three-day event — rather than the two-day run that had been in place for many years. The draft has also seen its place on the calendar fluctuate, with the event not settling into its April slot until 1976. It had previously been held in January and then during the season in prior years.
Raiders Designate T Kolton Miller For Return From IR
With starting quarterback Geno Smith doubtful to play this week amidst a 2-11 start to the season, the Raiders’ 2025 campaign is circling the drain. That shouldn’t take away from the positive news that star left tackle Kolton Miller is nearing a return to the field. 
Las Vegas announced today that Miller has returned to practice, opening his 21-day practice window in which he can be activated from injured reserve to the 53-man roster. Miller has missed the last 10 weeks with a high ankle sprain and hairline fracture. There’s little to play for, but these final four weeks will give Miller some opportunities to see exactly where he is in recovery and where he needs to get stronger in the offseason after a long rest.
Miller has been extremely reliable throughout his career, playing in 109 of a possible 116 games before this season and staring 107 of them. He missed two weeks in 2020, one game in 2022, and two separate two-game stretches in 2023. Before this season, he had never missed three games in a row, let alone nine.
In Miller’s absence, Stone Forsythe has been filling in for the team at left tackle, continuing in a role he had carried over from the team that drafted him. A sixth-round pick out of Florida back in 2021, Forsythe never earned a role as a full-time starter with the Seahawks, but he operated as the team’s swing tackle, starting 14 of 53 game appearances in four years.
Following the expiration of his rookie contract, Forsythe signed with the Giants as a free agent. After spending the offseason with New York, Forsythe failed to make the team’s initial 53-man roster and signed with Vegas the day after the roster cut deadline. The Raiders currently lead the NFL in sacks allowed, so new expected starter Kenny Pickett will likely rejoice to see Miller’s momentum pushing towards a return.
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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: CB Tre Avery
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: T Jeremiah Byers
- Waived: S Chris Edmonds
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: TE Harrison Bryant, WR Justin Watson
New York Giants
- Designated for return from IR: WR Beaux Collins
- Practice window opened: OL Joshua Ezeudu
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: DE Eric Watts
- Placed on IR: DE Tyler Baron
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated for return from IR: LS Charley Hughlett
- Reverted to season-ending IR: T Myles Hinton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to active roster: T Dylan Cook
- Placed on IR: T Calvin Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return: TE Eric Saubert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: DT C.J. Brewer, WR Ryan Miller
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: RB Chase Edmonds
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Ertz (story)
The Texans’ offense is getting healthy at just the right time. Despite not making much of an impact in the passing game, Bryant started three of eight game appearances earlier this year for the Texans and returns to a thin position group. Watson is coming back from a 13-week absence and will hope to continue working his way into a new offense.
The Eagles waived replacement long snapper Cal Adomitis yesterday, so it stands to reason that Hughlett will find himself back on the 53-man roster soon. Hinton’s 21-day practice window closed today, so he’ll add insult to injury in Philadelphia as he reverts to injured reserve without the ability to be activated while still using up one of the team’s eight allotted activations, since they designated him to return before final roster cuts.
Lions Open G Christian Mahogany’s Practice Window
Left guards are beginning to dominate our late-afternoon coverage window. In addition to Broncos LG Ben Powers returning to practice amid a lengthy IR stay, the Lions will see their starting option do the same.
Christian Mahogany is back at practice, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting the first-year starter is in the IR-return window. Like Powers in Denver, Detroit will have three weeks to activate Mahogany or lose him to season-ending IR.
Unlike Powers, Mahogany has only missed five games. The second-year blocker started the first eight Lions contests before going down with a knee injury. This will certainly be welcome news for a Detroit team in the thick of the wild-card race — and one that just saw Frank Ragnow‘s comeback attempt fall by the wayside.
Detroit has used Kayode Awosika, who has been with the team as a backup since 2022, as Mahogany’s replacement. Mahogany resided as a backup last season, with the Lions rostering Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler. Prior to Ragnow’s retirement, Zeitler defected to the Titans in free agency. Pro Football Focus has graded Mahogany fairly well in his first real go-round as a starter, ranking him 31st among guards this season. PFF slots Awosika 47th, which is still passable since 80 guards qualify as regulars this season.
This is not exactly good news on the level of Ragnow’s surprise unretirement, but after a hamstring injury surfaced during his physical, no such effort will take place this season. That scenario would have given the Lions an option of sliding center Graham Glasgow to guard, where he has extensive experience. Now, Glasgow will stay put as Mahogany readies to return.
The Lions also claimed defensive back Jalen Mills off waivers from the Texans, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. To make room on the 53-man roster, Detroit waived tight end Hayden Rucci. A 92-game starter during a career that has included extensive time at both safety and cornerback, Mills has played in four games (starting one) this season. Houston waived him Tuesday.
Mills, 31, has not played regularly at corner since 2022. Making a successful transition to safety, Mills has still seen regular time in the slot over the past three seasons — spent with the Patriots, Jets and Texans. Houston signed Mills to a one-year, $1.26MM deal; Detroit will be responsible for just less than $300K.
This comes after Brian Branch suffered an Achilles tear in Week 14; the standout defender already underwent surgery. Kerby Joseph has not played since Week 6, leaving the Lions in a tough spot. They are also down Terrion Arnold for the season. Joseph is aiming to return before season’s end.
Broncos Designate G Ben Powers For Return
Reeling off 10 straight victories, the Broncos have used a strong offensive line to help assemble this win streak. They have missed one member of that front for most of the season, but the unit appears close to being at full strength again.
Denver designated Ben Powers for return Wednesday, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. Powers has been the team’s left guard starter since his 2023 free agent signing. He is the only Denver regular up front to miss notable time this season.
A biceps injury sidelined Powers following the Broncos’ Week 5 win in Philadelphia. The team has used two replacement options. Matt Peart went down after one game in Powers’ place, with that injury giving way to Alex Palczewski. The former UDFA has started seven games at LG, shifting away from his role as the Broncos’ sixth O-lineman. Denver could restore its preferred six-OL package once Powers returns.
The Broncos made Powers a priority as a 2023 free agent, giving him a four-year deal worth $52MM. That contract, agreed to shortly before the Broncos signed right tackle Mike McGlinchey, included $27MM guaranteed at signing. The former Raven has validated the Broncos’ faith, starting 34 games from 2023-24.
ESPN’s run block win rate metric graded Powers as league’s best interior run blocker — after placing him seventh among guards and centers in 2023 — and he helped J.K. Dobbins to a hot start this season. The Broncos, though, have been forced to get by without Powers and Dobbins as of late. However, the team has continued to motor along — albeit with questions about its offense — in running its record to 11-2.
Powers’ status beyond this season is worth following, as the Broncos recently extended center Luke Wattenberg on a four-year deal worth $48MM. This gives Denver’s O-line five starters earning at least $12MM per year. O-lines are almost never constructed this way, inviting speculation about Powers’ future due to the cap savings that would come in a contract-year release. The Broncos would save $8.65MM by cutting Powers in 2026 ($13MM with a post-June 1 designation), and considering teams’ need for quality O-linemen, a trade would not be out of the question. Powers’ $18.4MM cap number trails only McGlinchey’s $23.8MM number on the Broncos’ 2026 payroll.
Then again, Pro Football Focus ranks Palczewski 63rd out of 80 qualified guards this season. The team also has Russell Wilson‘s dead money coming off the books, at long last, after this season. Next year represents a pivotal opportunity as a result, with Bo Nix tied to his rookie deal for at least one more season. Denver keeping Powers in an ultra-rare setup featuring five eight-figure-AAV O-linemen would be interesting. For now, it appears the 29-year-old blocker is on his way back to help a Denver Super Bowl push — one that could become an audition for guard-needy teams.
49ers To Designate DE Yetur Gross-Matos To Return From IR
The 49ers are designating defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos to return from injured reserve, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic.
Gross-Matos, 27, appeared in San Francisco’s first five games of the season before going down with a hamstring strain. He spent a few weeks on the shelf before re-aggravating the injury at the end of October. That forced the six-year veteran onto IR on November 1, and his absence has now extended to eight games.
The 49ers have been decimated by injuries this season on both sides of the ball, and their defensive end room has been no exception. All-Pro Nick Bosa and first-round rookie Mykel Williams are both out for the season, which, along with Matos’ injury, has forced the team to pivot. Bryce Huff and Sam Okuayinonu have stepped up to lead the position group in snaps with mid-season acquisitions Keion White and Clelin Ferrell also taking on rotational roles.
Those four are not churning out high-level production – the 49ers are last in the NFL with 16 sacks – but they have stopped the run effectively and contributed to some turnovers in the last few weeks. That has kept San Francisco in the NFC playoff picture through their Week 14 bye. Getting Gross-Matos back would at least add some depth to the team’s defensive line, though he did not have a great start to the year. He only logged four tackles and one quarterback hit before he got hurt, but at the time, he occupied a 27% snap share. There may be much more playing time available once he returns to the field.
Gross-Matos will have 21 days to practice with the team before he must be added to the active roster or revert to season-ending IR.