NFL legend who played into his mid-40s 'alarmed' by Philip Rivers’ return, gives QB advice

In a chaotic crook of events, it definite looks similar Philip Rivers volition beryllium suiting up successful an NFL crippled for the archetypal clip successful astir 5 years.

Rivers conscionable turned 44 earlier this week and precocious became a grandfather, but aft injuries to some Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard, the Indianapolis Colts had astir obscurity to turn.

It's arsenic bully a lucifer arsenic the Colts could find, arsenic Rivers played for Shane Steichen and the Colts successful 2020, truthful Rivers is acquainted with the offense.

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Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) drops backmost to walk Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during signifier astatine the Colts grooming installation successful Indianapolis.

But it's inactive been fractional a decennary since he's been successful the league. So Warren Moon, who besides played successful the NFL successful his mid-40s, gave Rivers advice.

"Rely connected your moving backs. They've got a large moving backmost (in Jonathan Taylor) down him that they tin thin on, and their violative enactment is going to person to truly play well, truly play carnal to power the enactment of scrimmage and support him retired of long-yardage situations," Moon told TMZ Sports.

"Because I deliberation that's wherever he's going to beryllium wounded the astir if helium has to spell with those, you know, third-and-8, third-and-9, third-and-10s, wherever helium mightiness person to clasp the shot a small spot longer than helium wants to. And does helium person the flight quality to determination astir successful the pouch similar helium utilized to erstwhile helium played, having been distant from it this long?"

Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) earlier playing against the Buffalo Bills successful the AFC Wild Card crippled astatine Bills Stadium connected Jan. 9, 2021. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)

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Moon admitted helium was "alarmed" that Rivers was returning, considering the agelong layoff.

"He's been distant for 5 years, and adjacent though he's been astir the game, he's coached the game, helium astir apt inactive talks astir it with his aged violative coordinator, Shane Steichen, and each those guys, you conscionable don't cognize however his assemblage is going to respond to getting retired determination each day—the grind of practicing—how his assemblage is going to consciousness aft a week of practice," Moon said. "Does helium inactive person those fast-twitch muscles that it takes to spell retired determination and play this game, which has gotten astir apt a batch faster since helium retired from the crippled 5 years ago? So those are the things that interest maine arsenic acold arsenic his absorption clip and however helium tin get the shot retired of his manus rapidly enough."

Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) connected Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during signifier astatine the Colts grooming installation successful Indianapolis, Indiana.  (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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The Colts started retired 7-1 but person mislaid 4 of their past five, including each of their past three. They volition caput to Seattle to look the Seahawks, arsenic Rivers volition apt effort to support their playoff hopes alive.

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