Surprise! Philip Rivers Is Back in the NFL — But Why Did He Retire to Begin With?

When a quarterback retires, the entire team changes. They have to learn the ways of a new team leader, adjust to new plays, and start from scratch with team building. So, when one of the NFL's star quarterbacks, Philip Rivers, retired, it was a sorely felt loss.

Philip is talking about returning to the NFL these days, and it brings us back to when he left in the first place. Here's what we know about why he chose to leave, and what his plans to return include.

When Philip played for the San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts, he earned eight Pro Bowl selections, as well as being ranked fifth for passing yards and touchdowns. He was widely considered one of the greats, and his retirement after the 2020 season hit fans and his team, especially hard.

When he announced plans to retire, he explained to the San Diego Union-Tribune, “It’s just time. It’s just right.” He added that his plans include coaching high school football, musing, "I can sit here and say, ‘I can still throw it. I love to play.' But that’s always going to be there. I’m excited to go coach high school football.”

And it was that plan to coach on the high school level that fueled his excitement to retire. He added, “What has helped me come to this (decision) is the growing desire to coach high school football. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s been growing. I can’t wait.”

But even though he was enthusiastic to retire, there were several times over the years when Philip considered making a comeback, even signaling his willingness to entertain a deal from time to time.

However, the time wasn't right to make the comeback for Philip until the 2025-2026 season, apparently.

On Dec. 11, 2025, he announced that he was coming out of retirement. The Colts were having a rough season, including Daniel Jones's Achilles injury and backup signal-caller Riley Leonard’s status being put in question.

So, Colts coach Shane Steichen dipped deeply into his emergency quarterback contacts, reaching out to Philip, who, by his own admission, was leaving a serene life of retirement, according to ESPN.

Philip mused on his reasons for returning, saying during a press conference, "As simple as it can be, [it’s] a coach that I love and an organization that I really enjoy being with." He added, "Training room is the same. PR guys are the same. Equipment room is the same. They wanted me and I try to keep it as simple as that. It’s a game I thought I was done playing, certainly. I wasn’t holding on to any hope of playing again. I kinda thought that ship had sailed, but something about it excited me" (via NY Post).

Philip continued, "Kinda one of those deals, the door opens, and you either walk through it and find out if you get to do it or run from it."

For now, he will be practicing with the Colts, and they will see where things go. But Philip sounds ready, and so do his teammates.