The Philip Rivers experiment has been a thrilling one for the Indianapolis Colts. But after just around two weeks, it could be time for them to call it quits.
Indianapolis, which signed the veteran quarterback out of retirement in Week 15, has now lost five consecutive games in total, including two with Rivers starting, after Monday night's 48-27 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. And while the Colts haven't mathematically been eliminated from playoff contention, their chances are slim.
Late in the blowout loss on Monday night, young backup quarterback Riley Leonard entered the game for the Colts. Considering Rivers was brought in to help the team make a potential playoff push, will Indianapolis consider benching the veteran for Week 17, potentially sending him back into retirement?
Here's what's known about the Colts' plans for Philip Rivers and why it would make sense for them to turn elsewhere in their quarterback room.
MORE: Philip Rivers' full stats, highlights from second start vs. 49ers
Will the Colts bench Philip Rivers?
It's officially unknown whether the Colts will continue letting Philip Rivers start at quarterback into Week 17, but unless head coach Shane Steichen says otherwise, Rivers as QB1 should be the expectation for now.
After their Week 16 loss to San Francisco, Steichen or Rivers were not asked about the quarterback's starting status for Week 17. However, even with Riley Leonard coming into the game late in the fourth quarter of Monday's matchup, one previous comment from Steichen about Rivers remains prominent: "We didn’t bring him in here to sit on the bench."
Per NBC Sports, when Steichen was asked leading into Week 16 about giving a potentially-healthy Anthony Richardson a shot at quarterback, the head coach said the Colts didn't sign Rivers to have him sit on the bench.
“He’s excited for this challenge," Steichen said of Rivers. "We obviously got to take it one week at a time, and then we go from there.”
Whether those comments will hold true even with the Colts' playoff hopes dangling by a thread remains to be seen, but until Steichen announces Leonard or Richardson as the new starter, expect to see the 44-year-old Rivers out there again for Indianapolis.
MORE: Everything to know about Philip Rivers' 10 kids, family
Why would the Colts bench Philip Rivers?
Technically, the Colts are not out of the playoff race. They trail the Houston Texans for the AFC's No. 7 seed by two games, but they also play Houston in Week 18. If the Colts win and the Texans lose in Week 17, they could set themselves up for a win-and-in game to end the regular season.
However, with the way things have gone for Indianapolis lately — Daniel Jones' Achilles injury, a five-game losing streak and 48 points surrendered to the 49ers — it's fair to wonder if it'd be more beneficial for the franchise to get good looks at a younger quarterback that coaches know will be around in 2026.
Rivers will be returning to retirement after the 2025 season regardless of the Colts' playoff push, and the team is entering an offseason carrying a major quarterback decision with Daniel Jones being a free agent. With playoff chances low and two young quarterbacks on the roster in Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson (depending on health), assessing either passer over the final two games could be more beneficial than allowing Rivers to continue risking his health for a team likely outside of the playoff picture.
If the Colts are dead-set on maximizing their playoff chances, even if they're extremely slim, then Rivers as QB1 makes sense. But if they're being more realistic about their current outlook, perhaps it's time to end the Rivers experiment.
MORE: What happened to Anthony Richardson?
Colts remaining schedule
The Colts' tough Week 17 matchup doesn't make the decision any easier, as they'll host the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars next week. The Jaguars are coming off a statement win over the Broncos in Week 16.
If, somehow, Indianapolis beats Jacksonville and Houston falls to the Chargers, then the Colts' playoff chances would be alive heading into a Week 18 against the Texans.
| Date | Game |
| Sun., Dec. 28 | vs. Jaguars |
| TBD | at Texans |
MORE: Inside Philip Rivers' high school coaching career
Colts QB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Philip Rivers |
| 2 | Riley Leonard |
| 3 | Anthony Richardson (out) |
| 4 | Daniel Jones (IR) |
The Colts signed Rivers because of their injured quarterback room. Jones is done for the season after some terrific play in 2025, while his backup, former first-rounder Anthony Richardson, suffered an orbital fracture from a pregame incident that's left him on IR for months.
Richardson has made progress in his healing from the injury lately, but his return this season is not guaranteed. That leaves Leonard, the rookie from Notre Dame, as the only healthy option behind Rivers on the Colts' active roster.
Leonard did play virtually one whole game for Indianapolis already, stepping in against the Jaguars after Jones' Achilles injury. In that game, Leonard totaled 145 passing yards and no passing touchdowns with an interception, plus five yards and a touchdown on the ground.
MORE: Full Colts quarterback timeline since Andrew Luck's retirement