Rivers Retiring
 

Seen on twitter

Colts QB has informed the San Diego Tribune that he is retiring from the NFL.

:cool:

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet
Philip Rivers announces his retirement to @sdutKevinAcee
. And the #Colts need a new QB.


https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1351887796961767426

:cool:

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet
·
2m
Former #Colts QB Philip Rivers will now become the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama, a job that’s been waiting for him. "This is the first year I felt like the ending was real” he told
@sdutKevinAcee
.

Before someone states it


"NO"

to Jacoby Brissett being our starter :cool:

On to plan B...whatever that is.

o


Rivers went out having a solid season for a solid team at the age of 39.

Good for Ballard on signing him for the one-year contract, with the Colts just missing beating one of the AFC elites in the playoffs ...... and now he (Ballard) has an equally tough task filling that QB position for the upcoming 2021 season. Such is life (most of the time) for NFL General Managers.

o

I appreciate him making the decision early in to off season.

This is surprising. I was fairly positive he'd be back next season based upon his comments at the end of the season about how much he loved the season and the team, and how he felt like he'd be up for another season. And let's not forget that he was pushing the Colts for a two-year deal last offseason, and that he said something at the time to the effect that even though he signed a one year deal, he thought he'd play multiple seasons for the Colts.

With all this considered, my suspicion is his retirement is due to one of two things: (1) the Colts let him know they were planning to go in a different direction, or (2) his wife/family convinced him to call it quits.

o

Rivers became only the 2nd quarterback in the history of the NFL/AFL to throw for 4,000 or more yards in his final season.

The other QB to do the same ??? Andrew Luck.



INDY Sports Radio

o

Explains the interest in Jordan Love.

Yeah none of that Favreian bullshit drama.

I agree with the first part. I felt like he would give it one more based on how we did this year.

Dont really understand (1) above. If Rivers came back it would only have been one year, so of course the colts were planning for the future. I believe ballard and reich would have welcomed rivers back for another year. It would only have precluded signing a vet. (2) is more likely. But its seems to me that (3) he knew it was time. Rivers said this felt like the first time it felt right to retire. Many have said that if you get to that point then you are already there.

I'm surprised as well. Figured by everyone's comments that he'd be back for another year and then we'd be handing the reins to Eason/early draft pick for the '22 season.

I wonder if his foot injury played into it as well. He may have gotten a few medical opinions on it with the consensus being that he'd have to have surgery and extensive rehab to play able to play next year vs. rest and rehab if he retired.

You might be right, ultimately only Rivers and/or the Colts know for sure. I’m just trying to read the tea leaves and figure out what’s really going on. The reason I question your (3) explanation is that it wasn’t just last offseason that Rivers was talking about returning, he said this only a little more than a week ago:

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...re/6609040002/

So of course it's possible that he had a personal change of heart, but I tend to think from the entirety of the comments made by Rivers and the Colts that the decision was mostly on the Colts side. While Reich and Ballard said all the right things about how they loved Rivers, that he can still play, and would love it if he were the QB next season, it was typically couched with comments that Rivers AND the Colts needed to take some time to evaluate what was best for each of them. This seems consistent to me with the correct and respectful way you let a veteran QB go – let all the headlines say that Rivers made the decision.

We all know that Ballard is a planner, and is not afraid to move on from veteran players when he views a better option out there. Given all of these factors, I tend to think that this decision was driven more by the Colts than by Rivers himself. But of course I might be wrong. For what it's worth, I would have been perfectly happy with Rivers as our QB next season.

The injury is always a possibility as well. I guess if by the end of this offseason, it appears that the Colts had to scramble to find a passible QB, then I'll tend to agree with you or rcubed. If it looks like Ballard somehow pulled a rabbit out of a hat and lands us a high quality QB (Watson / Stafford / maybe even Wentz, Darnold, etc., or if Eason is the new QB and appears to be "surprisingly" competent), then I'll tend to think my current read on the situation is correct.

I'm glad Rivers didn't make us wait a month or pop It on us at the last minute like a certain other quarterback did. The search begins! Come on Ballard work that magic....

I guess I'm hoping for Eason to save the day. Not interested in Wentz, Darnold, Rosen, etc. Stafford is a "maybe" I guess.

If the reports about Ballard inquiring about Love are correct then this was not based on the Colts decision. The only way you say no to Rivers, especially this early, is if you already have something in place that’s an improvement. I do not believe Ballard is that big a gambler- or that irresponsible.

I want a Super Bowl victory. I don't think Rivers is capable of delivering that unless the rest of the team dominates. From that perspective I'm glad he retired. Issue is that there is no obvious replacement available, at least to a fan like me. This team is rounding into shape as a perennial contender if they can just fill the most important position reasonably. It will keep me interested

I had mixed emotions about him coming here but this year completely changed my opinion of him. Despite obvious limitations he gave his best from week to week and went out as a class act. No bullshit drama or indecision that would handicap us for an entire year.

Good. Glad he got it out of the way early.

On another note, thinking back, I remember Polian saying that there are 3 positions you don't pass up if you can get a good one: a passer (QB), a pass rusher (DE/OLB/Edge), and a pass protector (LT). For the past 20 years or so, definitely the Polian era but also most of the Grigson era, it seemed like the Colts were set at those positions and struggled to fill everything else. Now under Ballard, it seems like everything else is filled well and they're struggling to fill those positions.

Has that been confirmed? That came from Dakich didn’t it? Honestly I think he can likes to troll colt fans and the Colts. Especially since Grigson is his boy. Also maybe why Ballard mentions Grigson’s kelvin Shepard deal.

I’m fine with it. I didn’t think he had enough left to win a shootout. And at some point in the playoffs you will need your QB to get you there. It was just delaying the inevitable.

Time to look to the future. I don’t think the QB is on the roster yet.

Good observation.

The LT situation is somewhat new. It will be interesting to see how that is addressed.

We do not have a pass rusher that is capable of changing the game, and we are still in "limbo" concerning quarterbacks.

Hopefully Rivers getting out of the way enables them to come up with some kind of plan at quarterback that is longer than one or two years. As I said in the other thread, I would hate to see us finally get the position addressed just for the rest of the team to regress (naturally) and we're back at the point where we have a Franchise QB trying to carry a less talented supporting cast.

well..... ballard did have quite the large wrench thrown into his tenure. I know there are all the quotes saying its about more than one player, but Luck had to factor heavily into his decision to come to indy. Then the sudden retirement right before the season left him no room.

He built an extremely solid line, but again this is the first time he has had to deal with LT. Maybe you could criticize that he should have had a backup in place knowing that AC was nearing the end of his career, but there are opportunity costs that come with that.

Now pass rusher.... ok. but at least he has made moves by getting the likes houston and buckner. turay was looking good before he got hurt.

No it hasn’t

Just think of it this way, we'll be at the top of the heap of the Cam Newton sweepstakes :eek:

get the fuck out

That’s a good data point to add to the mix, and I agree with your interpretation if the Love inquiry is true. I kinda question that report, though, since why would the Colts think the Packers would be willing to trade Love at this point, after the Packers have invested a year of development? The Packers drafted Love when they already had Rodgers in the fold and playing at a high level, so nothings really changed except Rodgers is a year older. And I really don’t see the Colts going into next year with an inexperienced QB at the helm, particularly one coming from another organization.

It is also possible Rivers sensed that the Colts were going to find someone else, and just decided to retire now rather than to drag it out. I would think the Colts would want to keep the appearance that Rivers is in play for as long as possible, so potential trade partners / free agents would not sense any urgency or desperation. So I suppose that works against my theory as well. I just have a hard time believing that Rivers had an abrupt change of heart on something as significant as retirement in a little more than a week.

This is what I was thinking. So unless they already have this figure out, it would have been better for us if PR informed the Colts of his decision in private and let it play out a while while they explore options.

Who cares if the fans and media would be informed. Seems we lose some leverage now that teams know we have to do something now

I read somewhere today that Rivers called Reich middle of last week ? :cool:

Well, the lower cap may have been a factor

I'm wondering if his foot injury is worse than they let on and he just doesn't have it in him to rehab and prepare to play another year.

<------- there's the door, sir! I suggest you use it!

That only works if they went with a rookie. Paying a vet would been similar.


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Yep, cat's out of the bag now. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Don't ask me why, but I have a funny feeling Mitch Trubisky might be on their radar.

I have had that exact same thought

Info trickling out to suggest the Colts may have told Rivers they were going in a different direction:

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2021/1/...rent-direction

I hope Ballard has something a little more solid than “well, Stafford will be available”.