Philip Rivers is among the quarterbacks who dominated the NFL for the better part of the last two decades. Drafted in 2004, Rivers went on to play 17 seasons in the league before retiring in 2021.
When it comes to NFL’s all-time passing yards leaders, Rivers is ranked behind the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, and Ben Roethlisberger. All the names ahead of him are already Hall of Famers or will be in the future, but does Rivers deserve to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Julian Edelman on Philip Rivers’ Hall of Fame Candidacy
In a recent conversation with Julian Edelman on the “Games with Names” podcast, NFL Network’s Scott Hanson asked the former New England Patriots wideout if Rivers deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. The question came after the two were comparing the careers of Rivers and Eli Manning.
“No,” said Edelman. “You don’t got two rings.”
Manning’s numbers are nowhere close to Rivers, but the former won two Super Bowls in his career, defeating Brady’s Patriots on both occasions. The younger Manning brother is eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year, and there is a strong possibility that he will be.
Manning, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, the same year as Rivers, played 16 seasons in the league. He threw for 57,023 yards, 366 touchdowns, and 244 interceptions in 236 career games, completing 60.3% of his throws. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Manning played only 12 playoff games in his career, but he played well on the biggest stage. Going 2-0 against Brady and the Patriots dynasty in Super Bowls is remarkable. Edelman and Hanson agreed that the former Giants quarterback deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
When Is Rivers Eligible for Hall of Fame Induction?
Since Rivers retired in 2021, he will be eligible to get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026. Other star players eligible in the same year include Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, LeSean McCoy, Maurkice Pouncey, and Geno Atkins.
Brees will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but Rivers’ lack of postseason success makes his chances of being inducted slightly less.
Rivers played 16 seasons for the Chargers and one season with the Indianapolis Colts during his career. In 244 games, he threw for 63,440 yards, 421 touchdowns, and 209 interceptions, completing 64.9% of his throws.
The North Carolina State product also played only 12 playoff games in his career, in which he went 5-7. In these 12 games, he threw for 2,965 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, with a passer rating of 85.3 and a completion percentage of 59.4.
Rivers was named a Pro Bowler eight times in his career but never played in the Super Bowl. His individual numbers are much better than Manning’s, but when it comes to the Hall of Fame, postseason success matters a lot, and the New York Giants legend delivered on the biggest stage, defeating the undefeated Patriots in 2008.