(Video) Philip Rivers, with Tears in His Eyes, Gets Emotional After Colts Got Knocked out of Playoff Contention Despite 8-2 Start

Under a rejuvenated Daniel Jones, the Indianapolis Colts were fiery. They hit the ground running with a solid start in Shane Steichen’s third year as coach, matching the wins they had last season before heading into the bye week.

The storyline since the bye week in Week 11 was a dramatic shift from their trajectory up until then. The Colts lost back-to-back games with Jones still in the center before losing him to an Achilles injury in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones was initially replaced by Riley Leonard for the game before signing retired Philip Rivers back to the field.

Rivers, who left the field five years ago, after 17 years of playing for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and Colts, started against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 in a very emotional return. The 44-year-old quarterback appeared in three games over the last three weeks, all of which resulted in losses.

After Sunday’s 23-17 loss to the Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts are contemplating playing Leonard for their season finale against the Houston Texans. If so, it means that it’s the end of the Rivers experiment. With strong rumors about Leonard starting next week, Rivers addressed the short return he’s had.

I told you guys I wasn’t going to have any regrets about coming back and I don’t. Other than us not winning … it’s been an absolute blast for three weeks. If I go back and say, ‘All right, now you know everything’s going to happen, what are you going to do?’ I’d do it all again. It’s been absolutely awesome. So, yeah, I mean, if it’s the last one, it’s the last one.

Philip Rivers said

As for his postseason, he’s scheduled to head back to Fairhope, Alabama, where he will resume his duties as the coach of the high school team at St. Michael Catholic.

I’ll be right back on the sideline [coaching]. I’m sure many watching probably said that’s probably where you belong.

Rivers added

It wasn’t an HEA story for Rivers in his return. He played three games, losing all three while throwing for 544 yards, 4 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He was sacked five times in those games.

Philip Rivers and Shane Steichen share a version of the broken window fallacy

Shane Steichen’s overall body of work with the Indianapolis Colts still argues for patience. His Week 17 quarterback decision, starting Philip Rivers over Riley Leonard against the Jacksonville Jaguars, has become a defining moment of his tenure.

With the Colts officially eliminated from playoff contention before kickoff, the final two games should have doubled as an evaluation window for the future. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, healthy and active, appeared to be the obvious choice, if not to start, then at least to see meaningful snaps. Instead, Steichen stayed with 44-year-old Rivers for the entire game, a call that may prove costly.

Meanwhile, it was a defining moment for Rivers, who reveled in the happiness of playing one extra game. Backup quarterbacks exist to be ready at a moment’s notice, and Leonard had spent weeks in that role. If he truly wasn’t prepared, that raises uncomfortable questions of its own.

Still, one flawed decision does not erase three seasons of context. Steichen has demonstrated his ability to elevate a roster, manage adversity, and build competitive units on both sides of the ball. But Week 17 served as a reminder that coaching credibility in the NFL is fragile. Choices like this make a big difference, especially when the franchise is searching for clarity at quarterback and possibly in the front office.

Also Read: Late Texans Penalty Call Reshaped the NFL Playoff Picture for Four Teams

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