Grandpa Phil is back

Philip Rivers, age 44 and five years removed from the NFL, will step into the breach and (presumably) lead the Colts through their last four games this season. It's both exciting and terrifying.

This may be a small disaster.

Let’s acknowledge that from the jump, acknowledge the fact that Philip Rivers is 44 years old and hasn’t played in the National Football League in five years. He’s a grandfather, for crying out loud. But the father of 10 – yes, 10 – still believes he can chuck it, still believes he can do for the Colts what he did in 2020, when he led Indy to an 11-5 record and their last playoff berth.

A Hail Mary? Absolutely, it is. And it could all fall apart quickly as Rivers, who is expected to start Sunday in Seattle, faces a formidable Seahawks’ defense that is fourth in the league in sacks.

But this is what I keep coming back to:

Why the hell not?

What, you’ve got a better idea?

“I thought I was done playing the game,” said Rivers, who has spent the last five years coaching his high school team, St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala. “I wasn’t really hanging on to any hope of playing again. I kind of thought that ship had sailed.

“But something about it (the offer by the Colts) excited me. And it’s kind of one of those deals, the door opens and you can either walk through it and find out if you can do it or run from it. I know there’s risk involved…but the only way to find out if you can do it is to go for it. And this almost felt like a gift, another opportunity to play the game I love to play.”