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Philip Rivers gets emotional having potentially played last NFL game amid surprise comeback

Meby: Nick Geddes12/28/25NickGeddesNews

Sunday may have very well been the final start in the career of Philip Rivers. The 44-year-old quarterback was under center for the third consecutive game after coming out of retirement earlier this month.

Before the game, a 23-17 Jacksonville Jaguars victory, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said the Colts were planning to start rookie quarterback Riley Leonard for the regular season finale against the Houston Texans. Head coach Shane Steichen indicated after the game a decision would come Tuesday.

If Sunday was it for Rivers, he’s at peace with it. He felt the same way about the Wild Card Round defeat to the Buffalo Bills in January 2021, his final start before his second NFL stint.

“If it is [over], and again, I’m going to be on board of whatever the organization, Shane, however that decision is gonna come to be,” Rivers said, via WISH-TV News. “I’m sure I’ll have some conversation, and it won’t just be a blind side Tuesday conversation from him. I’m gonna be on board to do what’s best for the guys and if this is the last one, shoot, I told you guys I wouldn’t have any regrets about coming back, and I don’t. Other than us not winning, it’s been an absolute blast for three weeks. If I go back and say, ‘alright, now you know everything that’s gonna happen, what are you gonna do,’ I’d do it all again.

“It’s been absolutely awesome. If it’s the last one, it’s the last one. I thought the last one was walking off the field in Buffalo [in January 2021], walking down the tunnel, and I was fine with that. That one, I had tears those few days after it, and I was at peace with that being the last one. So, certainly, if it is, I got three bonus games that I never saw coming and couldn’t be more thankful that I got the opportunity.”

Philip Rivers’ NFL career could be over… again

The Colts came up just short of winning potentially Rivers’ final start. Rivers completed 17-of-30 passes for 147 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Having not thrown a pass in almost five years, expectations were low when the Colts signed Rivers. Indianapolis went 0-3 with Rivers under center. Rivers threw for 544 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions on 63.0% passing.

Rivers, who was previously announced as a Class of 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, restarted his clock by coming back. Rivers will next be up for Hall of Fame consideration in 2031, assuming this is truly it for him.