Philip Rivers hadn't played an NFL game in 5 years. The grandfather nearly upset a Super Bowl contender.

[ad_1] Enjoying his first NFL sport in 1,800 days, 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers threw a landing Sunday for the Indianapolis Colts whereas practically upsetting a Tremendous Bowl contender.

Rivers accomplished 18 of his 27 passes for 120 yards and led a drive that put the Colts forward with lower than a minute remaining within the fourth quarter earlier than Seattle kicked its personal go-ahead subject objective, 18-16.

Rivers and the Colts received the ball again for one last alternative 70 yards from the top zone and with 11 seconds to go in regulation, however the drive’s first play was additionally its final. A deep throw by Rivers down the center of the sphere went over his supposed receiver’s head and was intercepted, sealing Seattle’s win.

Rivers, a father of 10 and a grandfather, began for Indianapolis weeks after being named a semifinalist for the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame, and simply 5 days after popping out of retirement to signal with the Colts, after accidents had decimated their quarterbacks.

Rivers joined Tom Brady, Vinny Testaverde, Warren Moon, Steve DeBerg and George Blanda as the one quarterbacks in NFL historical past to play at age 44 or older.

An afterthought within the preseason, Indianapolis had remodeled right into a shock Tremendous Bowl contender after a 7-1 begin, solely to lose 4 of its subsequent 5 video games. In its most up-to-date defeat final week, it additionally misplaced beginning quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles’ tendon harm.

With accidents hobbling its different quarterbacks, Indianapolis turned to an uncommon stopgap measure in Rivers — who's older than 13 of the NFL’s 32 head coaches, together with Colts coach Shane Steichen — to salvage its playoff aspirations. The franchise and the Corridor of Fame semifinalist had familiarity: Rivers spent the primary 16 seasons of his profession with San Diego earlier than enjoying his last yr with Indianapolis in 2020. He ranked fifth all-time in passing yardage and passing touchdowns in NFL historical past when he retired.

Competing at a excessive stage is now not a rarity for over-40 athletes, with Tom Brady, LeBron James and even downhill skier Lindsey Vonn all remaining world-class properly after exiting their prime. But Rivers' return was extraordinary due to the size of his break. Rivers had coached a highschool group in Fairhope, Alabama, in retirement, and members of the group had been proven cheering Rivers on throughout Sunday’s Week 15 matchup in Seattle.

There was little time for Rivers to ease into his first sport since Jan. 9, 2021 whereas going through a Seahawks protection that ranks among the many NFL's greatest. But Rivers transformed a 3rd down on his first drive, and late within the second quarter threw his 422nd profession landing.

After main for a lot of the sport, Indianapolis trailed 15-13 within the fourth quarter when Rivers trotted onto the sphere with 2:21 remaining to attempt to add to his profession whole of 36 game-winning drives.

Rivers threw completions for 16 and three yards, respectively, to assist Indianapolis get into vary for kicker Blake Grupe, who made a career-long 60-yard kick with 47 seconds left to present Indianapolis a 16-15 lead.

That was sufficient time remaining, nonetheless, for Seattle to mount its personal drive, which ended with a 56-yard kick to take again the lead, 18-16, with 18 seconds to play.