After 17 years of high-level quarterbacking in the NFL, Philip Rivers is calling it quits. The former Chargers and Colts quarterback officially announced his retirement on Wednesday morning.
In a statement to ESPN, Rivers offered up his thanks for living out his “childhood dream of playing quarterback in the NFL.”
Rivers thanked opposing NFL defenses for the competition and the banter on the field. And he thanked referees for hearing him out, then threw in a “dadgummit” to remind us of his Alabama roots.
Philip Rivers’ statement to ESPN is dadgum tremendous: pic.twitter.com/30KaEFGy0X
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2021
While the Colts search for their next quarterback after having Andrew Luck and now Rivers leave in back-to-back offseasons, Rivers’ future is also the source of much speculation.
Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported last month that Rivers was seen as the “next Tony Romo” among broadcasting executives looking for their next game analyst. That includes Fox, which needs a No. 2 behind Troy Aikman, as well as ESPN for Monday Night Football and the growing list of tech companies like Amazon that are aiming to burst into the live sports field.
In the meantime, Rivers confirmed to the San Diego Union-Tribune that he would stick with his plan to coach high school football in Alabama once he settled into retirement.
