The 2023 NFL season is in full swing, but an AFC team that has a chance to enter the playoffs is facing a dilemma. The club’s starting quarterback is out for the year with a broken shoulder. The remaining quarterback room is shallow and could get even shallower soon.
But the Cleveland Browns defense finished No. 1 overall that season. The Browns are 7-3 and just half a game behind the division lead.
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Therefore, on November 20, 2023, the Browns signed 38-year-old Joe Flacco. Without making an NFL roster all season, he threw with his brother two or three times a week and did some running to stay in shape.
“I absolutely believe,” Flacco said two days after signing, “that I can still play.”
Four 300-yard passing games in five starts, the Browns’ playoff berth and an NFL tenure that’s still coming back to this day suggest Flacco had the right idea.
It’s far from an exact resemblance to Philip Rivers not retiring and joining the Indianapolis Colts this week. However, Flacco’s recent memory has NFL coaches, executives and players thinking: What if?
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[Get more Colts news: Indianapolis team feed]
To be clear, Rivers is 44 years old, six years older than Flacco. Rivers last played in an NFL game 59 months ago, a far cry from Flacco’s 11-month layoff. Rivers omitted any clear throwing motions he’s followed lately, suggesting his recent preparation may be different than Flacco’s in 2023.
However, when the Colts held individual drills on Thursday, reporters saw Rivers leading the way at quarterback.
His chance of starting Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks is very real. Rivers also brought energy to the Colts after Daniel Jones joined quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. on injured reserve.
There’s no denying that in his prime, and certainly not now, can Rivers return to form enough to produce and stay healthy against the league’s second-best defense?
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Head coach Sean Steichen said the club will make decisions on a daily basis and the Colts will also evaluate sixth-round pick Riley Leonard’s return from a knee injury. But the tone from Rivers, Steichen and teammates does not suggest Rivers is leaving his family and risking his ineligibility for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinals (at least five years) by sitting on the bench as a mentor.
The best may not be what happens next.
“In an ideal world, Philippe would be able to resume his sea-going ability this week,” a senior AFC executive told Yahoo Sports. “I just didn’t know Indianapolis had that luxury.”
After a 59-month layoff, Philip Rivers returns to the NFL. (Photo by Timothy T. Ludwig/Getty Images)
(Timothy T. Ludwig via Getty Images)
For Flacco, returning to the NFL was “like riding a bicycle.” Would Rivers, who is older and has had a long offseason, agree?
When the Browns approach Flacco in 2023, there are some issues that need to be examined.
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Does Flacco still want to play? Is he in good shape? They realize that Flacco’s arm strength is expected to be above average in his senior years. He also has enough muscle mass to protect himself from blows.
It helps that Flacco, like Rivers now, would only have to endure about two months of wear and tear in an ideal world, something closer to that ideal world if a playoff berth doesn’t materialize. Neither club is asking an aging player to endure the grind of training camp and 16-plus games of live pass rushing. While the Browns provide Flacco with the opportunity to play against the league’s top defense, the Colts currently rank fifth in points scored and sixth in total offense.
Running back Jonathan Taylor anchors the league’s top ground-scoring offense, and the Colts’ offensive line offers the fifth-best run-win percentage (protection is a bit spotty, 25) per ESPN Metricsth– Pass interception win percentage rankings).
Broadly speaking, Rivers has a tactical advantage over Flacco because he’s returning to a system he once played in, working with a coaching staff and terminology he’s already familiar with.
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Two years ago, then-Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt praised Flacco’s ability to get on time, complete plays and run checks. Even though Flacco hasn’t had to maintain a rhythm all season, his muscle memory has been activated when he returns to the court.
“I made sure my arm was in good enough shape,” Flacco said after making his first start in two weeks with the Browns. “There’s definitely an element of it, like riding a bike. It’s just a matter of getting back out there and doing it.”
The Colts hope Rivers goes through the same experience.
Rivers returns to the NFL five years after 17 seasons, eight Pro Bowls, and 134 wins in 240 regular season games. During this period, Rivers completed 64.9% of his passes for 63,440 yards; he threw for 421 touchdowns and 209 interceptions.
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Some coaches and talent evaluators around the league are wondering how quickly reflexes can return, wondering whether Rivers’ body can keep up with his mind as pattern recognition returns. Practice does not mean live hits. But they would show his ability to synchronize with his weapons and protection.
“If that’s the case, and he misses, or comes late, you’re like, ‘Ah, that would have been a sack,’ and I want to give him another one. [week]”, the AFC senior executive said. “Or if he feels like he got hit by a Mack truck after his first week of NFL practice, I would wait a week.
If Rivers’ body can hold up, league executives believe in him
When Flacco returned, Van Pelt displayed an unusual trait.
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Of course, Flacco’s coordinator described his arm strength as “on a scale of one to five, I would say five,” in his response. But in addition to ball speed, Flacco also utilizes a quick release.
“He knows exactly who he is as a player,” Van Pelt said. “His decision-making and ability to take the ball out of his hands will help.”
The Colts hope Rivers will have the same understanding of his body’s ability to execute signals from his brain.
Rivers will have the benefit of experience with the Colts’ current offensive philosophy during his nine overlapping seasons with Steichen with the Chargers. However, the AFC executive isn’t worried about Rivers’ ability to diagnose Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald’s defense. Certainly, McDonald’s scheme deserves at least one former colleague’s description of “Defensive Sean McVay.” How likely is it that Rivers has encountered a similar game plan before?
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“Defensive football is really cyclical and there’s only so much coverage you can really see,” the executive said. “I wouldn’t worry about that that much.”
Waiting a week doesn’t mean much for Rivers as the No. 1 defense in the Houston Texans awaits Indianapolis behind Seattle.
Rivers said he’ll get started as soon as possible – even though less than a week ago, the Seahawks held 36-year-old Kirk Cousins to a 50% completion rate, two interceptions and no points.
“I’m going to be ready and push,” he said. “I know how good that bad team is and I know how well they’re playing right now. So I’m 30 years old, I’m 44 years old, going to Seattle and winning in 2025 and Week 14 or whenever that is, it’s going to be tough.”
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So will the Alliance. Coaches and executives alike marveled at the experiment and were ready for a great story if this wacky experiment worked. Some are worried about Rivers becoming the latest Colts quarterback to be injured. Rivers argued that he had enough time to recover. Even if the floor is low, there are benefits.
“Let’s face it,” one NFC assistant said, “the Colts could use a shot in the arm.”
An AFC talent evaluator agreed, but then reiterated his skepticism.
“I can’t believe this is happening lol,” the evaluator texted. “It’s like a simulation/dream.
“It’s unbelievable.”
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