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SEATTLE (AP) \u2014 Philip Rivers fought back tears as he considered what message it would send to his sons, or the young men he has coached, that he nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to victory at age 44.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is doubt, and it\u2019s real,\u201d Rivers said, choking up briefly. \u201cThe guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is, \u2018Shoot, let\u2019s see what happens.\u2019 I hope in that sense that can be a positive to some young boys, or young people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rivers ended a nearly five-year retirement to start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and played efficient football for the desperate Colts, who turned to the future Hall of Famer after Daniel Jones was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.<\/p>\n
He threw a touchdown pass<\/a><\/span> in the first half, played mostly mistake-free and moved the Colts into position for Blake Grupe\u2019s 60-yard field goal with 47 seconds left. But Jason Myers responded with a 56-yarder that gave the Seahawks an 18-16 victory<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n It was a remarkable day for a grandfather who\u2019s spent the past few years coaching high school football in his native Alabama.<\/p>\n Rivers took a few hard hits from the Seahawks\u2019 stout defense, and he even enjoyed them.<\/p>\n \u201cI never minded that part of it,\u201d Rivers said. \u201cMy wife always tells me I\u2019m crazy because there\u2019s been times in the last three or four years I said, \u2018I wish I could just throw one and get hit \u2013 hard.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n This wasn\u2019t a novelty act, as it may have seemed when the Colts signed the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist<\/a><\/span> to their practice squad less than a week ago. Coach Shane Steichen\u2019s Colts, who began the season 7-1 but are trying to stop a second-half collapse, knew what they were getting out of the veteran.<\/p>\n Rivers finished 18 of 27 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception, with the pick coming on his final pass as he tried to force the ball down the field in the closing seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cI was just thankful \u2014 grateful \u2014 that I was out there,\u201d Rivers said. \u201cAnd it was a blast \u2014 it was a blast \u2014 but obviously the emotions now are disappointment. This isn\u2019t about me. We have a team scrapping like crazy to try and stay alive and get into the postseason.\u201d<\/p>\n The Colts (8-6) have dropped four straight and five of six, and they are outside the AFC playoff picture with three games left. They trail both Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.<\/p>\n Steichen called a conservative game, relying on running the ball and controlling the clock. Rivers threw mostly short passes to the outside, checkdowns and screens.<\/p>\n \u201cHe went out there and gave us a chance to win it,\u201d Steichen said. <\/p>\n Rivers took two sacks, and he showed his age on the first one. He stumbled while evading pressure from Boye Mafe, got up, then fell again.<\/p>\n Rivers pumped his right fist and let out a roar after throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs with 1:33 remaining in the first half to put the Colts up 13-3.<\/p>\n It was Rivers\u2019 first touchdown pass since he threw a 27-yarder to Jack Doyle in the Colts\u2019 27-24 loss to Buffalo in a wild-card playoff game on Jan. 9, 2021. He also became the fifth player in NFL history to throw a TD pass at age 44 or older, joining Tom Brady, George Blanda, Steve DeBerg and Vinny Testaverde.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been 1,800 days since I\u2019ve thrown a touchdown \u2014 or interception for that matter. So we have both those (boxes) checked,\u201d Rivers said.<\/p>\n Rivers was chosen last month as one of 26 semifinalists for the Hall of Fame\u2019s class of 2026 but will now have his eligibility delayed. A player must be out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.<\/p>\n He ranks among the top 10 in NFL history in wins, attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.<\/p>\n Since his retirement, he\u2019s been coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where the team held a watch party on Sunday. Rivers\u2019 players were on his mind as he returned to the NFL.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe it will inspire or teach not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen,\u201d Rivers said. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n AP NFL: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/NFL<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n