Philip Rivers Benched for Finale; HOF Eligibility Delayed, Praises Successor

Philip Rivers will move to the bench for the Colts' Week 18 season finale against the Texans, with rookie Riley Leonard taking over as starter. This decision marks the end of Rivers' brief three-game return from a four-year retirement, during which the Colts went 0-3. He completed 58 of 92 attempts for 544 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. Rivers is expected to re-enter retirement after the season, a move that also resulted in his removal from the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist list for 2026, delaying his eligibility by five years. Rivers praised Leonard, stating, "He's going to be a double-digit guy in the NFL... he's going to be around somewhere for a long time.”