NFL journeyman cracks hilarious joke about why he didn't return to league like Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers knew what helium signed up for erstwhile helium joined the Indianapolis Colts past week.

A semifinalist for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, Rivers' eligibility was pushed backmost different 5 years aft again becoming an progressive player. He volition present beryllium eligible to articulation Canton successful 2031.

Rivers, 44, played his archetypal crippled successful astir 5 years past week and astir came retired with a triumph implicit the Seattle Seahawks.

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Philip Rivers of the Los Angeles Chargers and Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Miami Dolphins airs aft the crippled astatine Hard Rock Stadium connected Sept. 29, 2019 successful Miami, Florida.  (Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Ryan Fitzpatrick was asked connected Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" if helium had ever considered a comeback, but the vocation journeyman, who played for 9 teams, joked that helium didn't privation to propulsion backmost his Canton eligibility.

"I person contemplated, due to the fact that I’ve got 1 much twelvemonth earlier my wellness security runs out," Fitzpatrick said. "So I person thought astir that. That was a large woody for Philip, arsenic we’ve seen with the 10 kids. 

"But, for me, it conscionable came down to: Do I privation to reset the timepiece connected my Hall of Fame eligibility? And I deliberation that answer’s no, you know? I deliberation adjacent twelvemonth we’ll spot what happens there, and possibly aft I don’t get inducted into the Hall of Fame archetypal ballot, I’ll deliberation astir it."

New York Jets backmost Ryan Fitzpatrick passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the archetypal 4th astatine Heinz Field. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

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Rivers did, successful fact, get an further 5 years of wellness security from the league — it expires 5 years aft a player's retirement.

Rivers was affectional aft his archetypal crippled back, which ended successful a nonaccomplishment to the Seattle Seahawks by mode of a walk-off tract goal.

"Maybe it volition animate oregon thatch not to tally oregon beryllium frightened of what whitethorn oregon whitethorn not happen," Rivers said aft the nonaccomplishment astir what his instrumentality could mean to those watching. "Hopefully, I deliberation of my sons and those shot players that I’m successful complaint of astatine the school, they’ll accidental like, ‘Crap, manager wasn’t scared.’

"There is doubt, and it’s real. The guaranteed harmless stake is to spell location oregon to not spell for it, and the different 1 is, ‘Shoot, let’s spot what happens.’ I anticipation successful that consciousness that tin beryllium a affirmative to immoderate young boys, oregon young people."

Philip Rivers of the Indianapolis Colts warms up anterior to the crippled against the Seattle Seahawks astatine Lumen Field connected Dec. 14, 2025 successful Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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Rivers was 18-of-27 for 120 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception with a 73.1 passer standing successful his return. He volition apt get the motion against the San Francisco 49ers successful a location crippled connected Monday night.

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