Colts’ Late Search for a Veteran Quarterback Highlights a Critical Missed Opportunity
The Indianapolis Colts’ decision to bring in 44-year-old Philip Rivers for a workout—nearly five years after his retirement—has raised eyebrows across the NFL. What initially sounded like a joke now reflects a deeper issue: the Colts waited far too long to secure a reliable veteran quarterback, and they are now paying the price.
Rivers, who last played in Indianapolis’ most recent playoff appearance in January 2021, is being considered as the team tries to stop a 1-4 collapse following a promising 7-1 start. Whether Rivers has anything left beyond “fumes in the lawnmower tank” remains to be seen, but his invitation signals how few options remain.
The Colts’ quarterback crisis began when primary backup and former starter Anthony Richardson suffered an orbital fracture before Week 6. This left the team with 22 days before the trade deadline—ample time to acquire an experienced understudy for Daniel Jones, a quarterback with a history of injuries.
Instead, Indianapolis chose to rely on rookie Riley Leonard and journeyman quarterback Brett Rypien, opting not to pursue a trade before the deadline passed.
Now, with Jones out for the season and Leonard injured after his debut, the Colts are scrambling. Their decision to call Rivers reflects their lack of confidence in remaining free agents such as Taylor Heinicke and Sam Ehlinger, both of whom may also receive tryout invitations.
Adding to the challenge, any veteran released at this point in the season—such as Russell Wilson if cut by the Giants—must pass through waivers before signing elsewhere. Even Derek Carr, still on the Saints’ reserve/retired list, would be subject to waivers if New Orleans relinquished his rights.
The central issue is clear:
The Colts could have addressed this problem weeks earlier and chose not to.
Perhaps they attempted to negotiate a trade and failed. But their decision to move forward with Jones, Leonard, and Rypien was a calculated risk—one that has now backfired.
As things stand, Indianapolis may enter the playoff race with a quarterback room consisting of Rypien and a 44-year-old Rivers. That puts them in danger of becoming only the sixth team since the 1970 merger to miss the postseason after starting 7-1 or better.
For a franchise with playoff expectations, the timing couldn’t be worse.
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