Philip Rivers came out of retirement late in the 2025 NFL season to return to the Indianapolis Colts after Daniel Jones went down with an injury. He was essentially being asked to save their season by keeping them in playoff contention, but he ultimately failed to do so.
Despite not getting the job done, his time in the league may not be over just yet, according to a recent report.
Philip Rivers’ Rumored Interest Around the NFL in 2026
The Colts still have one game remaining in the 2025 season, but Rivers’ comeback has already reportedly ended. The franchise will instead give rookie Riley Leonard his first look as a starting quarterback, so the veteran will officially go down as winless in his return from retirement.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport recently reported that Rivers is rumored to be getting interest from several other teams during the upcoming 2026 offseason. He explained that franchises have been evaluating him as a potential addition, but not as a quarterback.
“Several sources say Rivers could end up as a head coach candidate this cycle and the current belief is that he gets at least one opportunity to interview, possibly more … Sources say that teams have been doing research on Rivers as a candidate and making background calls. That happened last year, as well,” reported Rapoport.
The insider mentioned that several teams expressed interest in Rivers as a head coach candidate last year, both in the NFL and in college football. Rapoport explained that the veteran quarterback declined to engage with any of them last offseason. Still, his return to the league this season could potentially change his mind for the 2026 coaching cycle.
He has been serving as a high school football head coach in Alabama since retiring from the NFL, but his coaching experience beyond that is limited. Rivers’ reputation has always been that of a leader, especially during the prime of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, which may influence some teams seeking a new head coach.
The New York Giants and Tennessee Titans enter Week 18 with the only official vacancies. Rivers’ return as a quarterback was a bit disappointing, though it’s fair to forgive a 44-year-old coming back after nearly five seasons away from the game.
He made three starts for the Colts and failed to earn a victory, while finishing outside of the top 20 weekly quarterbacks in PFSN’s Impact Rankings twice. This makes it unlikely that he will continue playing, but apparently, coaching opportunities could keep him in the league.
