Shane Steichen walked into his latest press conference expecting the usual quarterback questions. What he got instead sounded like it belonged in a writers' room.
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A reporter asked the Colts coach if Philip Rivers is the first player he has ever coached who is older than him. Steichen paused, smiled, and delivered a response that landed somewhere between polite clarification and accidental roast.
"Ummm... I've coached him when he was older than me before," Steichen said. "So, obviously, with age, everyone gets older. That was true 10 years ago."
Cue the laughter.
And honestly, it was deserved. Not just because of the answer, but because of the setup. Steichen and Rivers go way back. From 2016 through 2019, Steichen worked with Rivers while on the Chargers staff, serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive assistant during the latter stages of Rivers' long and productive career.
Hilarious: #Colts HC Shane Steichen was asked if Philip Rivers is the first player he’s ever coached who’s older than him:
“Ummm… I’ve coached him when he was older than me before. So, obviously with age everyone gets older. That was true 10 years ago.” 😂😂😂
(🎥 @Colts) https://t.co/adxOVMMSEF pic.twitter.com/yL9q1HMi9M
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 10, 2025
Rivers was already a grizzled veteran then, piling up yards, Pro Bowl nods and sideline trash talk like only he could.
Fast forward to now, and somehow Rivers is back in the Colts orbit again, this time at age 44 and listed on the practice squad amid a quarterback injury crunch. Yes, really. Just when you thought the book on Rivers was closed, he grabbed another chapter and started scribbling.
The question itself likely came from an innocent place. Rivers feels timeless, after all. But his resume screams veteran. Sixteen seasons with the Chargers alone will do that.
Steichen handled it perfectly. No eye rolls. No lectures. Just a quick reminder that math still exists, even in the NFL.
