The Indianapolis Colts are signing 44-year-old retired quarterback Philip Rivers to their practice squad after Daniel Jones was ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.
Jones limped off during the first quarter of Sunday's 36-19 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars before it was confirmed on Monday he will require surgery on a season-ending torn Achilles.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday evening that the Colts were planning to work out eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback Rivers the following day, before it was confirmed Tuesday that he would be signing to their practice squad.
Rookie signal-caller Riley Leonard replaced Jones under center on Sunday and is due to start against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15.
Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick at the 2023 NFL Draft, is notably on injured reserve with a broken orbital.
Rivers played 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers from 2004 to 2020 before spending the 2020 campaign with the Colts.
He confirmed his retirement from the NFL on January 20, 2021 before signing a one-day contract to officially retire as a Charger on July 21, 2025.
Rivers is a semi-finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which marks his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility. His clock to become Hall of Fame eligible again would reset to five years were he to sign with the Colts' 53-man active roster.
Jones tumbled to the ground in the first quarter on Sunday following a pass to Alec Pierce, clutching at his right leg before angrily crashing his helmet into the turf multiple times.
He was later officially ruled out of the game in what would become an abrupt and majorly cruel end to his campaign, during which he has spearheaded the Colts into postseason contention.
In Jones' absence, Trevor Lawrence threw two touchdown passes and Travis Etienne ran for two scores as the Jaguars beat secured victory over their rivals to move top of the AFC South.
The Jaguars (9-4) won their fourth consecutive game and extended the Colts' misery in Jacksonville. Indianapolis (8-5) most recently won at EverBank Stadium in 2014, an 11-game skid that includes a matchup in London.
Jones had already been nursing a fractured fibula in his left leg over the past two games, wearing a special protective guard notably designed by his college roommates.
He is in the middle of a career year in the NFL as one of the surprise stories of the season after winning the starting quarterback job over Richardson during training camp.
Jones, the No 6 overall pick at the 2019 NFL Draft, had been released by the New York Giants midway through the 2024 campaign, before spending the end of the season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Little was expected of the Giants castaway before he starred alongside Jonathan Taylor in leading a 7-1 start to the season as AFC frontrunners.
The Colts have now lost four of their last five after surrendering control of the AFC South to the Jags at the weekend, with their once-thriving playoff hopes now under threat.
Your Site' Neil Reynolds told Your Site: "I did not see this one coming at all! Head coach Shane Steichen believes this is the best chance to make the playoffs. I don't think they have huge hopes for Riley Leonard and what Rivers gives you is a proven commodity in terms of knowing the offense.
"Steichen just wants somebody he knows and plays correctly, gets this team lined up and gets them in the right spot.
"The good thing for Rivers is that he was never the fastest, he never had the strongest of arms, what he always had was passion, and an absolute desire to win games. He would talk trash to the opposition but actually one of the league's good guys.
"He's going to dish it out 100 per cent.
"We're talking about an all-time great. Probably one of the greatest never to win the Super Bowl - along with Dan Marino. Rivers is a Hall of Famer."
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