Philip Rivers’ comeback story “is a great feel-good story,” says the Catholic organization’s founder

Philip Rivers made an incredible NFL comeback this season, coming from the sidelines as a high school football coach to help the Indianapolis Colts in their time of need.

Rivers’ commitment to his team and his expression of humility is something that has resonated with Catholics and Christians across the United States

Shawn Carney, the founder of the Catholic faith organization 40 Days for Life, shed some light on why that was in an interview with Pakinomist Digital after the Colts’ close loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.

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“Philip Rivers has always been pretty open about his faith, not that he runs around bragging about it, but his comeback in the NFL, I think at a time when Americans need really good news, is so inspiring — not just for us Catholics, but for all Christians,” Carney said. “I think it’s great to see somebody coming out of retirement living a good life, living a life that most people want to live, which is being a good father and being a good husband. And that’s just overlooked too often.”

Carney said he believed the average Catholic or Christian can take away important things from Rivers’ comeback journey.

“I think the average Catholic or Christian in America looks at Philip Rivers and says, ‘The way I live my life is the way he’s trying to live his life. I want to be a good father. I want to be a good mother. I want to be a good husband, I want to be a good wife.’ And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Carney said. “It’s nothing to apologize for.

“Actually, that’s what most Americans aspire to be, and he represents that, except he has such a big profile and 10 or 11 kids. I think at this point, it’s just beautiful to see. It’s beautiful to see when we have celebrities who have the same priorities as people who live their lives and work hard every day to provide for their families.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) leaves the field Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, after losing a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Christine Tannous/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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Rivers, 44, has 397 passing yards, three touchdown passes and two interceptions in the two games he has played. However, the Colts haven’t won since Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury.

Carney told Pakinomist Digital that the results in the game don’t necessarily have to be there to have an impact on those watching in the stands or at home.

“Everybody loves a good story, and this is a great feel-good story at the end of 2025. No rooting for Philip Rivers, I can’t imagine. Hopefully no one on the left is rooting for him because he’s a proud father to a lot of kids, but everybody’s rooting for him.” And win or lose, nobody cares.

“It’s a great, great story. It’s inspiring. He doesn’t make a lot of money. He doesn’t really need the money. He’s doing it because they asked him to do it and he’s making it about the team, not about himself. He deflects all the praise and it’s just a great story. He’s a great guy and that’s how their lives are highlighted and that’s what they choose to live and that’s what they choose to live and again. get wrapped up in so many different things and so many distractions.”

Not all hope is lost for the Colts, but their chances of making the playoffs are dwindling.

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Indianapolis needs to win its next two games to even have a legitimate shot. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans are next on their schedule.