Week 14 of the NFL season was filled with lowlights for the Indianapolis Colts. The team was embarrassed by their division rival, the Jacksonville Jaguars, by a score of 36-19. Yet, the worst thing that happened was that quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury.
As a result, the team signed 44-year-old Philip Rivers, so their spectacular season doesn’t go to waste. After a hot start, the team now sits at 8-5, which puts them in third place in the AFC South division. They need Rivers to perform well to remain in the playoff picture. Due to the nature of the signing, a former Los Angeles team doctor revealed a conversation he had with Rivers before his return.
David J. Chao Comments on the Philip Rivers Signing
David J. Chao, a former NFL head team doctor for 17 years, provides injury analysis for most sports on his social media pages. Chao started by recounting his texts with Rivers following Jones’ injury:
“I said, ‘Daniel Jones tore his right achilles, Shane (Steichen) call you yet?’ He said, ‘I saw… not sure I could do it. May go out back here in a little while and throw some ha.’… I said the throwing is not my worry, it’s the rest of it, and he said ‘Not mine either!!'”
The beginning of the text gives an interesting perspective on Rivers’ initial thoughts on making a comeback. Obviously, he can still throw the ball, but how can he manage the rest of the game? He hasn’t been training, so how’s his stamina? Can he take a hit?
Chao continues by saying, “I think it makes a ton of sense, look it. Philip has admitted to it. Look, okay, he’s not the same weight as when he walked off the field, but he can still throw the ball. As he says, ‘He ain’t run away from nobody, right?’ And here’s the thing: I’m confident that his arm is fine, I mean, Joe Montana can still throw the ball. It’s taking hits and stuff, and this is why the practice squad makes sense. Throw a couple of times and see how sore you are… I think he’s going to start.”
As it currently stands, Rivers should be in line to start against the Seattle Seahawks, who are ranked No. 7 on PFSN’s OFFi, this week because rookie quarterback Riley Leonard is a little banged up, and Rivers, at age 44 and not having played since 2020, is still better.
There are some questions about how he can take a hit, but he definitely won’t have any problem throwing.