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Philip Rivers’ Indianapolis Colts contract comes with more than just a healthy sum for the four games he intends to play with the franchise that needed him at quarterback.
Rivers shocked everyone in the football world when he answered a call from the Colts, the last NFL team he would play for in 2020 before hanging up his cleats for good — or so he thought at the time.
Rivers came out of retirement to sign a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum of $1.255 million, according to Pro Football Talk. However, that deal is reportedly prorated over the next four games, with Rivers’ actual take home pay of $278,889.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) on the sideline during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on Dec. 6, 2020. (Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)
But there’s more than just the six-figure sum Rivers will get from returning to the NFL. In fact, it may be more important for a father of 10 children.
Rivers’ health insurance from the league is also back, and it was set to expire when his five-year retirement was up at the end of this season.
Now, Rivers’ expiration date has been reset to five more years, meaning the league’s health insurance plan he was on will run through 2030. A pretty sweet deal for his family, too.
COLTS’ PHILIP RIVERS HOPE EMOTIONAL NFL RETURN PROVIDES INSPIRATION
Rivers was emotional after his first game back, which ended in a walk-off field goal loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Blake Grupe had drilled a 60-yarder to give the Colts the lead, but Seahawks kicker Jason Myers hit his sixth field goal of the game for the 18-16 win at home.
Rivers was 18-of-27 for 120 yards with one touchdown and one interception with a 73.1 passer rating in his return.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) before playing against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card game at Bills Stadium on January 9, 2021. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)
“Maybe it will inspire or learn not to run or be afraid of what may or may not happen,” Rivers said after the loss about what his return could mean for those watching. “Hopefully I think about my sons and the ball players that I’m in charge of at school and they’ll say, ‘Crap, coach wasn’t scared.’
“There’s doubt, and it’s real. The guaranteed safe bet is go home or don’t do it, and the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ I hope in that sense that it can be positive for some young lads or young people.”
Colts head coach Shane Steichen committed to Rivers immediately for the team’s “Monday Night Football” game against the San Francisco 49ers this week, which comes as no surprise.
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Indianapolis remains in the playoff hunt in the AFC, hoping to snap a four-game losing streak after going 8-2 to start the season.
