Philip Rivers' inspiring message after return: Don't 'run or be scared of what may or may not happen'

SEATTLE – Philip Rivers had several chances to *not* do what he did on Sunday.

At any point, no one would've blamed the 44-year-old if he decided doubt outweighed opportunity when it came to playing in the NFL for the first time in nearly five years. But Rivers gave it a go, delaying his eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame a half-decade to take advantage one more shot to sling the ball around with the guys.

There's something beautiful about that, no matter how things went in the Colts' 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks or however things go over the final three regular season games in 2025. And there's a lesson here, too.

In life, you may be presented with an opportunity that excites you – but you aren't sure if you can do it. That opportunity may be life-changing and may never arise again. Having doubts about it is only natural. But just listen to what Rivers said on Sunday, after playing in the NFL for the first time in 1,800 days, about what he hopes people may take away from his decision to end his retirement and strap on a helmet and shoulder pads again:

"This isn't the motivation, but I do think that maybe there will be – I think about my own boys, my own two sons, but certainly the high school team I'm coaching, but this isn't why I'm doing it," Rivers said. "I know it comes with it and I know it is a story and I know it is rare and all those things, but I didn't do that. I was enjoying myself down there being coach in south Alabama.

"Obviously this doesn't come up every day. But I think maybe it will inspire or teach not to be run or be scared of what may or may not happen. Hopefully, certainly I think of my sons and those ballplayers that I'm in charge of at the school, that they'll say crap, coach wasn't scared.

"Like, shoot, sometimes there is doubt and it's real, and again, the guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is shoot, we'll see what happens. And so yeah, I hope in that sense it can be a positive to some young boys or young people, doesn't have to be boys. But again, that's not the motivation. But whatever God's will, I'm happy with."