NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Philip Rivers, 44 years old, is back in an NFL building as the Indianapolis Colts brought back their former signal caller to potentially help them reach the playoffs.
Rivers hasn’t played in the league since 2020, but the Colts believe he can still sling the pigskin, which begs the question: Does Tom Brady feel the same way?
“Who retires and then retires and ultimately wants to retire again? Who does that? It’s ridiculous for Philip to do that,” Brady joked about Rivers rejoining the Colts during his appearance on FOX Sports’ ‘The Herd.’
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
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)
But could Brady still be playing quarterback right now at 48 if he decided to re-enter the NFL?
“Yes, I certainly could,” he told Colin Cowherd. “I think the answer for me would be yes. I’m not allowed to do that anymore because I’m a minority owner of [Las Vegas] Raiders, so I can’t back down.”
The earlier rant from Brady refers to his retirement on February 1, 2022 after playing 22 illustrious seasons in the league. But just 40 days after his announcement, Brady was back in the saddle with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
PHILIP RIVERS REFLECTS NFL COMEBACK AT QUARTERBACK AFTER RETURN TO COLTS: ‘I thought the ship had sailed’
Brady then retired “for good” after that season, in which the Bucs lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.
And even if Brady were to miraculously come back online, he wouldn’t be able to consider his stake in the Raiders. It’s against NFL rules.
But Rivers, who has been coaching high school at Alabama since his playing days ended in 2020, now finds himself in position to potentially start against the Seattle Seahawks on the road this Sunday.
It’s a crucial time for the Colts, losers of their last three games since the bye week, leaving them 8-5 this season. They begin competing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who they just lost to on Sunday and who are now 9-4 leading the AFC South. The Houston Texans, who have rattled off five straight behind their league-leading defense, are also 8-5, making this a division to watch in the remaining four games of the regular season.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during practice at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The reason for Rivers’ reunion in Indy surrounds the loss of Daniel Jones, who suffered a torn Achilles after trying to play through a broken fibula. Jones enjoyed a season that revitalized his career, which looked completely different in 2024 after being released by the New York Giants midseason.
Then rookie Riley Leonard, who took over for Jones in Jacksonville, suffered a knee injury that prompted the Colts to call up Rivers. After a visit to see if he was fit enough to play, they put pen to paper and now head coach Shane Steichen may go for the 44-year-old as reporters believe they see him taking most of the first-team reps in training.
“I’m very excited to see Philip play,” Brady added. “If he’s out there, it’s just very cool. It speaks to how much he loves the game and really what he’s still capable of.”
Rivers might not be too bubbly, but then again, he told reporters that his strengths on the football field were never about what he could do with his legs. It was always the arm talent that showed accurate ball and good decision making during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers and Colts.
Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to stream the entire FOX Nation library plus live FOX News, Sports and Entertainment at the lowest price of the year. The offer ends on 4 January 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)
“This game is about, for the quarterback, from the neck up,” Brady said. “We used to have a saying at Michigan, ‘The mental is to the physical as four is to one at the quarterback position.’ That doesn’t really go away. Do you still have the physical ability to still do that — make the hits, make the throws, the drops, buy some time in the pocket?
“If Philip has practiced those things, then we will all see it on full display in Seattle on Sunday afternoon.”
