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Hey Boston, how would you like to have an aging future Hall-of-Famer, not named Tom Brady, as your starting quarterback in 2021?
Philip Rivers may have just played his final game in an Indianapolis Colts–or any NFL–uniform, and he’s headed for free agency after completing a one-year deal in Indy.
While the official rumor mill hasn’t started turning yet, the questions have begun from noteworthy people in Pats Nation.
Former Patriots quarterback and current radio personality Scott Zolak wondered aloud on Twitter:
Despite a valiant effort down the stretch on Saturday, Rivers and the Colts fell 3 points short of knocking off the Buffalo Bills in the league’s opening wildcard game.
Rivers, who just turned 39 last month is undecided about retirement at this point.
The 17-year veteran reacted to the loss during his postgame interview:
If he makes it clear he wants to return, he will have his share of suitors after putting up a strong season with the Colts.
Indianapolis made the postseason with an 11-5 record led by Rivers and a strong defense. Rivers threw for 4,169 yards, 24 TDs, and 11 interceptions while completing 68% of his throws. The 2020 season marked the 12th time in Rivers’ career that he has eclipsed the 4,000-yard mark, and it was the 8th consecutive year he’s passed 4K. The 68-percent completion rate was the third-highest total in his career.
Based on his performance, it’s not hard to see Rivers still has something left in the tank.
As it relates to the Patriots, the questions are: does he want to return for his 18th season? Would he be interested in playing for the Patriots? Finally, would the Patriots be interested in his services?
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Will Rivers Return?
Obviously, before any other question can be answered, we have to know if Rivers even wants to play another season. Rivers is a family man with a wife and 9 children. He has already attempted to customize his lifestyle in a way to better accommodate his family. Rivers moved to Indiana, so it is easy to see how playing for the Colts was convenient for him.
The convenience of another year with half of his games in the same state he resides in is probably an easier sell for Rivers at this point in his career. It also doesn’t hurt that the Colts were 11-5 this year and have a strong defense and a running game that can take serious pressure off a quarterback.
If he does return, it would seem playing for the Colts or a team like the Chicago Bears would be more attractive to him. The Colts would seem like the most logical choice from a familiarity and proximity standpoint, but if the Colts want to move on–and the Bears are interested–Chicago might be close enough for Rivers to consider.
Would There Be Mutual Interest?
You would imagine Rivers has great respect for the Patriots and the team’s history. He’s had some good battles with New England over the years, but head coach Bill Belichick has been complimentary of Rivers. Back in 2019, Belichick notably said, “Rivers is pretty good at everything.”
That obviously doesn’t mean the Patriots would come calling. Anyone who signs Rivers knows they’re not getting a mobile quarterback capable of succeeding in the kind of system many teams are running these days. However, as heady and poised pocket passers go, he’s close to the top of the list. The Patriots’ interest would likely hinge on where they see their offensive system moving in the future, and what they’re planning to do long-term at the position.
If they want to move away from the kind of offense Brady succeeded in for the final 15 years of his career, Rivers isn’t the guy. If they’re inclined to maintain most of the same principles, Rivers might make a little more sense.
Rivers could balk at any Patriots’ interest because of how far away from home Foxborough is, and also because, at this point, New England is simply not as good as the Colts or even the Bears.
A 39-year-old without a Super Bowl ring probably isn’t going to be interested in playing for a non-contender. We’ll wait to hear something definitive about Rivers’ plans moving forward. That will obviously tell us the first thing we need to know about how feasible a Rivers-to-Patriots signing could be in 2021.
