Could Philip Rivers go from five years out of the NFL to starting on Sunday? Colts head coach Shane Steichen isn’t ruling it out.
Steichen told reporters that quarterback Riley Leonard, who finished last week’s game after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, will practice today despite a knee injury. But he wouldn’t say whether Leonard will start on Sunday or whether Rivers, the 44-year-old who just joined the Colts, will start.
“We’ll see,” was all Steichen would say about his starter for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.
Steichen sounded excited about the possibility of Rivers playing right away.
“His passion and his obsession for the game is unmatched. For him to come back and want to do this at 44 years old I think is incredible,” Steichen said. “We’re excited for his opportunity. He’s one of the most passionate players I’ve ever been around. The obsession for the game is off the charts. I know he’s fired up to be back in this building.”
The Colts would be underdogs at Seattle even if Jones were healthy. Without their starting quarterback, they’re two-touchdown underdogs. Steichen knows he’s going to have to take some chances to pull off an upset and keep his team in playoff contention, and the high-risk, high-reward option of going with the 44-year-old Rivers could be his choice.
Seahawks Clips
We’ve reached the point in the regular season where teams can officially turn an eye toward January.
The Rams, Patriots, and Broncos are the three clubs that can clinch a postseason berth this week.
For Los Angeles, it’s simple: Win and you’re in. The Rams can only secure the NFC’s first playoff spot, with the NFC West still up for grabs between L.A., Seattle, and San Francisco.
Things are a little more complicated for two AFC teams.
New England will win the AFC East and secure a home playoff game with a victory over Buffalo. The Patriots can also clinch a postseason berth with a tie and a Chargers loss; a tie with a Texans loss or tie; a tie with a Colts loss or tie; or a tie with a Jaguars loss. New England would also clinch a berth if Houston loses or ties and Indianapolis loses or ties as long as both games don’t end in a tie.
Denver cannot clinch the AFC West on Sunday, but can clinch a postseason berth with a win. If Denver ties, a Chargers loss, or Jaguars loss, or Texans loss or tie, or Colts loss or tie would also secure a playoff spot. Additionally, the same New England clinching scenario with a Houston loss or tie plus an Indianapolis loss or tie, as long as both games don’t end in a tie, applies to Denver.
The Patriots will play the Bills at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, while Broncos-Packers and Rams-Lions both have a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff time.
He’s actually doing it.
After retiring following the 2020 season, 44-year-old Philip Rivers is signing with the Colts’ practice squad after working out with the club on Monday night, according to multiple reports.
Rivers, who is now a grandfather, has been coaching high school football in Alabama. Now he’s lacing up his cleats to see if he can help a squad that has seen several quarterback injuries in 2025.
The No. 4 overall pick of the 2004 draft, Rivers has a lot of familiarity with Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who served as his position coach and offensive coordinator with the Chargers.
At 8-5 with four games left, Indianapolis’ injury situation at quarterback has quickly become dire. With backup Anthony Richardson already out due to an orbital fracture suffered in a freak pregame accident, Daniel Jones went down on Sunday wiht a torn Achilles and is out for the year. Riley Leonard, the team’s true third-string QB, also suffered a knee injury during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars that has put his availability for Week 15 in question.
Enter Rivers, who last played for the Colts in 2020, leading the team to an 11-5 record and a postseason appearance.
We’ll see if Rivers is available for Sunday, when the Colts head to Seattle to play the Seahawks.
Whether Rivers gets on the field will affect his candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rivers was named as one of 15 semifinalists for the class of 2026. His candidacy will reset if he signs to Indianapolis’ active roster.
The Seahawks plan to have one of their offensive linemen back on the practice field this week.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said, via the team’s website, that Jalen Sundell is expected to return to work after missing the last four games with a knee injury. Sundell started the first nine games of the season at center, but Olu Oluwatimi has handled the spot well in his absence and Sundell also saw time at right guard before sliding over while Oluwatimi was sidelined this summer.
Macdonald said “we’ll see” where Sundell fits once he is back up to speed.
Tight end Elijah Arroyo left Sunday’s win over the Falcons with a knee injury. Macdonald said the team is still working out a plan for the rookie, who has 15 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown, but that he is likely to miss Week 15.
The Colts have Anthony Richardson on injured reserve and will have Daniel Jones on injured reserve later this week. Jones will undergo season-ending surgery on his torn Achilles this week.
That leaves the Colts with rookie Riley Leonard to start Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.
But Shane Steichen said Leonard, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, has a knee issue that he’s working through.
The Colts “hope” Leonard can play.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Steichen said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN.
Leonard played the final three quarters against the Jaguars on Sunday after Jones’ injury. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards and an interception.
The Colts will look to make at least one quarterback transaction this week, depending on Leonard’s availability. Brett Rypien, who is on the practice squad, could see a promotion to the active roster.
Rypien would start if Leonard can’t go.
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones will miss the season with a torn right Achilles.
Coach Shane Steichen announced on Monday that Jones will undergo season-ending surgery this week.
Jones was playing through what was reported to be a hairline fracture in his left fibula when he went down in the first quarter on Sunday with an injury to his opposite leg. Steichen would not confirm postgame that Jones had torn his right Achilles, saying only “it’s not looking good.”
Although a torn Achilles is easily diagnosed, Jones underwent an MRI on Monday to confirm the injury.
Steichen also said backup quarterback Riley Leonard is dealing with knee soreness but will “hopefully” be available for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.
If that wasn’t enough, cornerback Charvarius Ward is in concussion protocol.
For the first 30 minutes of Sunday’s game in Atlanta, it looked like the Seahawks might be on track for a disappointing result against the Falcons but things picked up when the second half did.
Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and the Seahawks would go on to score 24 more points to pick up a convincing 37-9 win. After the game, head coach Mike Macdonald said he predicted Shaheed’s big play during the halftime break and it’s not the only good call he’s made since getting to Seattle.
Sunday’s win moved the Seahawks to 10-3 on the season and it made Macdonald the first head coach in franchise history to pick up double-digit wins in each of his first two seasons.
The 10-7 finish in 2024 wasn’t good enough to get the Seahawks into the playoffs, but the Seahawks are currently the No. 5 seed in the NFC. They have work to do to sew up that spot in the tournament and remain very much alive in the race for the division title, so any wins Macdonald can add to the ledger in the final four weeks will be valuable ones.
For a half today in Atlanta, the Falcons looked like a competent and competitive team. And then they didn’t.
A 6-6 halftime score turned into a 37-9 final after the Seahawks blew out the Falcons in the second half, one of the most lopsided halves played in any game in this NFL season.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold turned in another good game, completing 20 of 30 passes for 249 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. As usual, his favorite receiver was Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who caught seven passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins continued to look washed up, throwing two interceptions and rarely getting much going for the Falcons’ offense.
The win improves the Seahawks’ record to 10-3, and they’re right in the thick of the NFC West race. The Falcons are 4-9 and have clinched a losing record for the eighth consecutive year
The Seahawks traded for Rashid Shaheed last month in the hopes that he could make some big plays during the push for the playoffs. He did that today.
With the game tied 6-6 after the Seahawks’ offense struggled through the first half against the Falcons, Shaheed took the second half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
The Seahawks needed a big play on special teams because quarterback Sam Darnold had a rough first half, completing nine of 15 passes for just 67 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
Shaheed gave Seattle a difference-making play, and the Seahawks now lead the Falcons 13-6.
The Jaguars will be without their leader in receptions against the Colts in Sunday’s battle for the top of the AFC South.
Wide receiver Parker Washington is inactive for the game. Washington, who leads the team with 36 catches this season, was listed as questionable to play with a hip injury.
There’s better news for Jacksonville on the other side of the ball. Defensive linemen Arik Armstead (hand) and Travon Walker (back) are both active after joining Washington with questionable tags.
Colts at Jaguars
Colts: CB Sauce Gardner, RB DJ Giddens, DE Tyquan Lewis, S Reuben Lowery, TE Will Mallory, S George Odum, T Luke Tenuta
Jaguars: WR Parker Washington, S Andrew Wingard, LB Yasir Abdullah, OL Walker Little, TE Johnny Mundt, DL Emmanuel Ogbah, DL Austin Johnson.
Dolphins at Jets
Dolphins: QB Quinn Evers, WR Tahj Washington, T Kendall Lamm, DT Matthew Butler, LB Andre Carter, CB A.J. Green
Jets: QB Justin Fields, WR Tyler Johnson, S Tony Adams, CB Ja’Sir Taylor, EDGE Braiden McGregor, DT Mazi Smith, TE Jelani Woods
Steelers at Ravens
Steelers: WR Roman Wilson, DT Derrick Harmon, S Kyle Dugger, T Calvin Anderson, DT Brodric Martin, WR Ke’Shawn Williams, QB Will Howard
Ravens: WR Devontez Walker, DT Aeneas Peebles, G Ben Cleveland, T Joseph Noteboom, QB Cooper Rush
Saints at Buccaneers
Saints: S Justin Reid, CB Rejzohn Wright, RB Alvin Kamara, T Taliese Fuaga, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT John Ridgeway, DT Khristian Boyd
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, G Elijah Klein, S Kaevon Merriweather, CB Benjamin Morrison, DL Elijah Simmons, T Tristan Wirfs
Titans at Browns
Titans: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, S Jerrick Reed, OL Drew Moss, C Lloyd Cushenberry, DT Shy Tuttle
Browns: G Wyatt Teller, DT Adin Huntington, T Jack Conklin, TE Brenden Bates, RB Raheim Sanders, WR Jamari Thrash
Commanders at Vikings
Commanders: QB Josh Johnson, LB Ale Kaho, T Trent Scott, DE Jalyn Holmes, T George Fant, DE Drake Jackson
Vikings: QB John Wolford, S Theo Jackson, DL Levi Drake Rodriguez, G Joe Huber, T Walter Rouse, TE Ben Yurosek, DL Elijah Williams
Seahawks at Falcons
Seahawks: QB Jalen Milroe, CB Shaquill Griffin, RB Cam Akers, LB Jared Ivey, LB Connor O’Toole, OL Mason Richman
Falcons: WR Drake London, CB Cobee Bryant, RB Nathan Carter, DL Brandon Dorlus, OL Michael Jerrell, WR Casey Washington
Bengals at Bills
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Cam Grandy, DE Trey Hendrickson, DT Jordan Jefferson
Bills: T Spencer Brown, WR Josh Palmer, LB Terrel Bernard, DE Joey Bosa, DB Darnell Savage, DT Phidarian Mathis, OL Chase Lundt
