Old Man Rivers nearly gets it done. I said `nearly.'
Philip Rivers' return was inspiring, if ultimately unsuccessful. The Seahawks won, but the Colts defense and Rivers' smarts kept it close.
MY COUCH, Ind. – So it’s been a couple of hours since the Colts’ 18-16 loss to the Seahawks in Seattle, and I’m perusing the internet in search of some quotes I can add to my mostly-written column.
So I go onto YouTube.com, type in “Philip Rivers press conference,” and up pops his post-game meeting with the media.
And I was captivated.
Seriously, do yourself a favor and give it a watch. youtube It is one of the most remarkable post-game interviews I’ve seen in a long time, an exercise in emotional depth. And credit to the journalists on the scene who asked as many of the right questions as they could in a short period of time.
Late in the presser, he was asked how his return might impact his sons — Gunnar attended the game in Seattle — and his St. Michael Catholic High School team in Fairhope, Ala., who held a watch party back home.
“Maybe it will inspire or teach them not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen,” Rivers said tearfully. “Hopefully, certainly, I think of my sons and those players that I’m in charge of at the school, that they’ll see, `Crap, Coach wasn’t scared.’ There is doubt, and it’s real, and again, the guaranteed safe bet it to not go for it. The other one is, `Shoot, let’s see what happens.’ “
Two things occurred to me as I watched the video and took some notes:
One, we are lucky as journalists to cross paths with a human being like Philip Rivers, whether it’s on Zoom, as was the case in 2020, or in person for a short time this season. He not only fills up your notebook, he lets you peer into his heart and soul. Do you know how incredibly rare that is in a day and age when a good number of athletes distrust the media or hide behind cliches — or just have nothing to say?
Two: As much as I had my doubts about Rivers’ quixotic return, after watching him play and listening to him Sunday, I am convinced that for the next week or two, this will be one of the most inspiring stories in the NFL. I know we’re in the midst of some wild conference playoff races, but, well, let’s put it this way: If you can’t be a little enraptured by Rivers’ return, if you can’t be a little bit inspired by a guy doing things at 44 that would land most of us in the emergency room, I don’t know what to tell you.
