Philip Rivers admitted this week that Sunday could be the end of his playing career if the Indianapolis Colts are walled out of the postseason.
The veteran QB didn't dig deep on his potential future if the Colts decide to move on after one year. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on GameDay Morning that if he doesn't return to Indy, Rivers is expected to hang up his cleats.
"Philip Rivers ... faces a big-time decision and it's really very simple: Either he returns to the Colts for another season or he retires. 39 years old, that's it, he's not going to another team, " Rapoport said. "Some of that depends on the results of not just today but whether or not they make the playoffs. I talked to people close to him. It sounds like it is up in the air, but retirement is very real."
After 16 years with the Chargers, Rivers signed a one-year deal with the Colts this offseason. After moving his family to Indianapolis, it appears the QB isn't interested in packing up shop and heading to another city again.
With Jacob Eason the only quarterback under contract in Indy next year, the huge question is where the Colts might turn if they move on from Rivers.
All eyes would turn to Frank Reich's former QB, Carson Wentz.
The big-money QB is reportedly miffed at the Eagles for benching him in favor of rookie Jalen Hurts. The team still thinks the situation is salvageable, but if the relationship deteriorates further this offseason, and Philadelphia decides to take a massive salary cap hit by trading him, the Colts could be a logical destination, given the first-round pick played his best under Reich.
"So let's say (the Colts) need a replacement, my understanding is Eagles QB Carson Wentz, if he is in fact on the block and traded, would prefer Indy over several other choices. He might be involved in this process going forward," Rapoport said.
A player's preferred destination is generally meaningless, but given the connections with the Indy staff and need for a QB, a Reich-Wentz reunion could make sense on paper.
Wentz is a healthy scratch in Week 17, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported. It could be his final days in Philly, if the team can't repair the relationship in the offseason.
If Rivers retires, the Wentz-Colts connection will be run rampant. Whether it comes to fruition would be a wholly different matter given the financial and compensation issues that come with dealing a high-priced QB.
