Philip Rivers wanted to end his career in the NFL, where it all started. After 17 seasons in the NFL, the veteran quarterback made it official Monday, signing a one-day contract with the Los Angeles Chargers and announcing his retirement from professional football.
Rivers spent 16 of his 17 NFL seasons with the Chargers franchise, building a Hall of Fame resume that included 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdowns between his time with the Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.
Why Did Rivers Choose to Retire as a Charger?
The accolades and praise poured in almost immediately after Rivers made his announcement. Longtime Chargers teammate and former linebacker Shawne Merriman, who played alongside Rivers from 2005-2010, took to social media to rave about what it was like to suit up with the quarterback.
“Man I can’t tell you what a honor it was lacing ’em up with Phil,” Merriman posted on X. “I never met anybody so competitive and wanted to win as much as him. Many of us would’ve ran right through a wall for Phil because he was knew he would do anything for the team. Congrats weebles nobody deserves it more.”
For Rivers, the decision came down to timing and loyalty.
Man I can’t tell you what a honor it was lacing em up with Phil, I never met anybody so competitive and wanted to win as much as him. Many of us would’ve ran right through a wall for Phil because he was knew he would do anything for the team. Congrats weebles nobody deserves it… https://t.co/dI61Rm4Chb
— Shawne Merriman (@shawnemerriman) July 21, 2025
“It’s really, in the past handful of years, been my desire [to retire] as a Charger. It was more so the timing,” Rivers told the Chargers’ website.
“Gratitude is the first thing that comes to mind. Just thankful. Thankful for my time there as a Charger.”
How Did Rivers Build His Legacy in Los Angeles?
Rivers almost didn’t become a Charger. The New York Giants initially drafted him fourth overall in 2004, but he was traded to the Chargers along with a 2004 third-rounder and first and fifth-round picks in 2005 in exchange for first-round pick Eli Manning in one of the most memorable trades in NFL history.
Upon arriving with the then-San Diego Chargers, Rivers spent his first two years behind another future Hall of Famer, Drew Brees. In the last game of the 2005 season, Brees seriously injured his throwing shoulder.
That injury changed everything. In the offseason, Brees left the team via free agency and signed with the New Orleans Saints, making Rivers the unquestioned starter.
Rivers exploded in 2006. The Chargers went 14-2 in his first full season as the starter, and had it not been for a Marlon McCree fumble, the Chargers might have beaten the Patriots in their Division Round matchup.
From that point forward, Rivers became the face of the franchise in San Diego and after its move to Los Angeles. He led the Chargers to one AFC Championship Game appearance after the 2007 season. The Chargers lost 21-12, but it was an iconic moment for Rivers, who played the entire game on a torn ACL.
Throughout his career, Rivers compiled numbers to put him in the Hall of Fame. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls, orchestrated 29 fourth-quarter comebacks and 35 game-winning drives, and was the NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2013.
Now the countdown to his enshrinement in Canton begins.
