Alabama high school coach signs with NFL practice squad nearly 5 years after retirement
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Less than a month after he was coaching the St. Michael Cardinals in the high school football playoffs, Philip Rivers is on his way back to the NFL.
The 44-year-old quarterback last took a snap in the league in 2020 before taking the head coaching job at St. Michael for the 2021 season. In five seasons, he’s led the Cardinals to a 42-16 record including consecutive 4A semifinal appearances.
But his offseason might look a little different than other high school coaches across the state.
According to multiple reports Tuesday morning, Rivers is set to sign with the practice squad for the Indianapolis Colts.
“St. Michael Catholic High School fully supports Coach Rivers and looks forward to cheering him on as he joins the Indianapolis Colts for the remainder of the NFL season. We eagerly anticipate his return to campus after the season and are confident that the experience will only further enrich his impact on our players and school community. We wish Coach Rivers every success and cannot wait to watch him play again.”
St. Michael Catholic High School
Keep reading to learn more about Rivers’ career + why the Colts decided to reach out to the previously retired quarterback.
Philip Rivers
Rivers is an Alabama native, playing at Athens High School before going to NC State to play college football.
He was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the 4th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and played for the team for 16 years. He left in 2020, playing one season with the Indianapolis Colts before announcing his retirement.
Rivers is among the league’s all-time passing leaders in several stats including:
- 6th in passing TDs (421)
- 7th in passing yards (63,440)
- 9th in passes completed (5,277)
- 18th in passer rating (95.2)
In his final season, Rivers led the Colts to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance. He threw for 4,169 yards to go with 24 touchdowns.
In 2021, Rivers became the St. Michael head coach and would eventually lead the school to its first playoff win in 2024. The Cardinals have made consecutive 4A semifinal appearances, losing to eventual state champion Jackson in each of the last two seasons.
“We are incredibly proud of Coach Rivers and the way he pours into our students each day. His commitment to excellence, character, and teamwork has elevated our program and inspired our entire school community. We are excited to support him as he steps back onto the NFL stage.”
Principal Dr. Andrea Williamson
Earlier this year, Rivers signed a one-day contract with the Los Angeles so he could retire as a Charger. However, just five months later, he is back in the league.
Indianapolis Colts
Earlier this week, the Colts saw starting quarterback Daniel Jones go down with a season-ending injury. Now, backup and fellow Alabama native Riley Leonard is reportedly dealing with a knee injury.
So Indianapolis saw a need to add more depth to its quarterback room and gave Rivers a call.
Reports came out Monday that he would be working out and less than 24 hours later, the reports turned into Rivers would be joining the practice squad.
Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy
Just last month, Rivers was named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
Signing to the practice squad will not reset his eligibility but if he gets promoted to the active roster, he would not be eligible for the Hall of Fame again until 2031.
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