Former Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers considered coming out of retirement this past season.
According to NFL Media’s Rich Eisen, he heard from multiple sources at the combine that Rivers reached out to the Dolphins and 49ers about potentially suiting up for them.
“I heard at the combine that Philip Rivers contacted both of them to come back late last year,” Eisen said. “Which is what I heard and the way I heard it. I didn’t happen, don’t know why it didn’t happen. But I heard that at the combine.”
San Francisco had been down to their third-string quarterback, Brock Purdy, late in the season and the playoffs after season-ending injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. Rivers probably felt he still had some juice to help them on their run.
Rivers last played in 2020 for the Colts after spending 16 years with the Chargers. Rivers has been the head football coach at St. Michael’s Catholic High School in Fairhope, AL for the last two years.
This is notable heading into the upcoming season, with there being plenty of quarterback-needy teams. So if Rivers still wants to make a return at age 41, there could be some squads that would be interested in his services.
Rivers spent 16 years with the Bolts, including 14 as the starting quarterback. He amassed 59,271 passing yards and 397 touchdown passes, ranking first in franchise history in both categories. He had a record of 123-101, making the playoffs six times and going 5-6 in 11 postseason games.
In his final NFL season, Rivers led the Colts to an 11-5 record with 24 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He threw for 4,169 yards, the eighth straight season he topped 4,000 yards through the air.
