Philip Rivers, father of 10 and grandfather of one, returned to the NFL after a five-year break to start at quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, the team for which he played for last in 2020.
But with Daniel Jones (torn Achilles) out for the season, Anthony Richardson (eye) still shelved and Riley Leonard (knee) banged up, Rivers was pressed back into duty to help his old friend Shane Steichen.
Although Steichen's team lost as big underdogs in Seattle, 18-16 to fall further out of the AFC wild-card race at 8-6, Rivers did better than expected in a pinch. Here's a break down of his debut after five years away.
Philip Rivers' stats vs. Seahawks
Passing: 18-of-27, 120 yards, 4.3 yards per attempt, sack, TD, INT, 88.5 rating
Rivers did the best he could on a short week, getting used to the speed of the NFL game after his layoff. The Colts' defense and a run-heavy attack gave him a chance to win the game in the end until he threw an interception.
PHILIP RIVERS TO JOSH DOWNS TUDDY.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) December 14, 2025
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Philip Rivers 2025 Colts debut grade
What Rivers did well
Rivers ran the Shane Steichen offense he knew well from several years together on the Chargers. He spread the ball around well and leaned a lot on running back Jonathan Taylor (25) carries to faciliate his short-to-intermediate passing game. All things considered, coming back and facing a tough Seahawks' defense in an even duel with Sam Darnold was a testament to the mental and physical toughness that was Rivers' Hall of Fame-caliber trademark.
MORE: How Jason Myers’ clutch six field goals spoil Colts QB’s fairytale return to NFL
What Rivers didn't do well
It's not surprising that Rivers offered nothing in the way of mobility with an older body and plenty of wear and tear. He got the ball out quickly to avoid pressure but that made him settle for check downs and be dink-and-dunk dependent. The Colts lost any ability to stretch the field, either outside or down the middle.
Rivers did give them a better chance to win than anybody else they could have gotten to replace Jones and fill in for Riley Leonard. He just didn't have the juice to maximize the playmaking potential without Taylor dominating on the ground.
Grade: C