Former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers has spent two seasons away from the league, but according to the rumor mill at last week’s NFL scouting combine, he was mulling a potential return as recently as late last season.
Rivers, who turned 41 in December, last played in the 2020 season for the Indianapolis Colts after spending 16 years with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. He was seemingly content with retired life and has spent the last two years as the head coach at St. Michael’s Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama.
But according to NFL Network radio host Rich Eisen, Rivers may be antsy to get back in the pads. Eisen said that he heard from multiple sources at the combine that Rivers reached out to both the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers late last season about potentially coming out of retirement.
“I heard at the combine… that Philip Rivers contacted both of them to come back late last year,” Eisen said on his show. “Which is what I heard and the way I heard it. Didn’t happen, don’t know why it didn’t happen. But I heard that at the combine.”
Rich is back from Indianapolis and boy did he hear some things — his Top 5 Rumors Heard at #NFLCombine:
5. Philip Rivers
4. #DaBears
3. Lamar
2. 🧀
1. 🐐#NFL #NFLFreeAgency #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/F08mMCAcGq— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) March 6, 2023
If Rivers had ultimately returned to the league last season, either of those landing spots would have made a good deal of sense. Due to injuries, both were down to their third-string quarterbacks for playoff runs, most notably San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, who nearly led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance as a rookie and reigning Mr. Irrelevant.
Ultimately, it didn’t work out, and there’s no reason to think Rivers is still pondering a potential return. But there are certainly a number of quarterback-needy teams this offseason, and there’s a chance he’d have some suitors if he were to explore a comeback this offseason.
