Philip Rivers didn't just leave the door cracked. He thought it was sealed shut.
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Until Daniel Jones went down on Sunday, the new Colts quarterback says he believed he was fully retired from the NFL.
"I wasn't hanging onto any hope of playing again. I kind of thought that ship had sailed," Rivers told reporters. "But something about it excited me. It's one of those deals where a door opens and you either walk through it and find out if you can do it, or run from it. I know there's risk involved, but the only way to find out is going for it."
Rivers said he watched the Colts game live and felt a jolt the moment Jones was ruled out with a torn Achilles.
"In my mind, I was like, 'What in the world?' Just how crazy this would be on the quarterback position. I have to admit I thought, 'I wonder if Shane will call,'" Rivers said. "Immediately, the competitor in you gets excited."
Rivers will wear Jones' No. 17 and said he appreciated how the injured quarterback handled the handoff.
"I feel terrible for Daniel," Rivers said. "I texted with Daniel about him being so gracious about 17. That was meaningful to me."
Can the 44-year-old actually still play at a high level after five years away? Rivers is honest about the uncertainty.
"I know five years is a long time. Believe me, that weighed on me a lot," he said.
Still, he feels confident enough to try and the Colts believe he can help. There is even a chance he is available as early as Sunday.
