Chargers, Colts QB Philip Rivers Retires
No. 17 is calling it a career after 17 seasons. Former San Diego/LA Chargers and Indianapolis Colts QB Philip Rivers announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Rivers is statistically the best quarterback to never win a Super Bowl, or even reach a Super Bowl for that matter. He is fifth on both the All-Time passing yards list and the All-Time touchdowns list.
His 63,440 passing yards are behind Drew Brees (80,358), Tom Brady (79,204), Peyton Manning (71,940) and Brett Favre (71,838). Also, his 421 touchdowns are only behind Brady (581), Brees (571), Manning (539) and Favre (508).
Rivers has the most passing yards and most touchdown passes without a Super Bowl appearance.
Also, he is second for most consecutive starts at quarterback (240), only behind Favre’s 297 straight.
Rivers will always be linked to Eli Manning after the two were traded for each other in 2004. Manning refused to play for the San Diego Chargers, but the Chargers drafted him anyway. Then, San Diego swapped Manning for Rivers with the New York Giants.
Also in that 2004 NFL Draft, Ben Roethlisberger.
Both Big Ben and Eli won two Super Bowls each. Rivers only made one AFC Championship Game, but it is one of the more memorable appearances.
Six days after tearing his ACL, Rivers suited up — giant knee brace and all — and battled the undefeated Patriots in 2008. The Chargers never found the end zone and lost 21-12.
As a Broncos fan, I never liked Rivers, but after that AFC Championship Game he always had my respect.
Some people will choose to argue whether Rivers is a Hall of Famer, which I believe he is one.
However, right now, I choose to show love for Rivers. Whether he ever reaches the Hall of Fame, or not, he will always be one of the greatest competitors I saw play in the NFL.
He was hilarious as a trash talker mostly because he never swore. He was one of the toughest to ever play simply because he played without an ACL.
16 years with the Chargers, one year with the Colts… Enjoy retirement, 17. You earned it.
“It’s just time.”
Philip Rivers retiring from NFL after 17 seasons.https://t.co/Ht6xSIska9
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) January 20, 2021
Here’s Rivers statement to ESPN:
Philip Rivers’ statement to ESPN is dadgum tremendous: pic.twitter.com/30KaEFGy0X
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2021
Also, some shared their thoughts about Rivers on social media:
there will never be another.
thank you for everything, 17. pic.twitter.com/cMZhtX7T70
— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) January 20, 2021
Thank you, Philip. pic.twitter.com/znBe1x8TJP
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) January 20, 2021
I’ll never forget lining up for a play and Phil pointing to one of our linebackers and telling him he was lined up wrong based off the blitz we were about to run and being 100% correct about it haha.
One of the smartest I’ve ever played against and a hell of a competitor. https://t.co/1AZxyvDafu
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 20, 2021
Always opinionated, never boring, with a love of football he’ll carry with him as a coach.
Congrats on a great career Philip Rivers! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/htzAzFIk5C
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 20, 2021
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