Philip Rivers Retires From NFL After 17 Seasons: 'It's Just Time'

Former Chargers and Colts QB Philip Rivers is retiring from the NFL and plans to coach high school football in Alabama next.

Quarterback Philip Rivers is hanging it up after 17 NFL seasons.

Rivers, who just finished his first season with the Colts, announced his retirement from the league on Wednesday.

"It's just time," Rivers told The San Diego Union-Tribune. "It's just right."

He also released a statement on Wednesday morning.

"Every year, January 20th is a special and emotional day. It is St. Sebastian's Feast day, the day I played in the AFC championship without an ACL, and now the day that after 17 seasons, I'm announcing my retirement from the National Football League. Thank you God for allowing me to live out my childhood dream of playing quarterback in the NFL.

"I am grateful to the Chargers for 16 seasons, and the Colts for the 17th season."

Throughout his career, Rivers logged 244 games, including 240 consecutive starts. He ranks fifth all-time with 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdown passes.

Thank you, Philip. pic.twitter.com/znBe1x8TJP

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) January 20, 2021

After being selected No. 4 overall by the Giants in the 2004 NFL draft, he headed to the Chargers in the trade that sent Eli Manning to New York. During his 16 seasons with the Chargers, Rivers built a standout career after assuming the starting job in 2006 and taking the team to the playoffs six times. He even followed the organization in its move from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017. 

However, in 2019, he tossed just 23 touchdowns, his fewest since 2007, and threw 20 interceptions, tied for the second-most he had thrown in a single season. Rivers and the Chargers decided at the end of the season that the two sides would part ways, and he went on to sign a one-year deal with the Colts in free agency.

He led Indianapolis to an 11–5 record and a playoff berth this season, losing to the Bills in an AFC wild-card game.

The 39-year-old told the Union-Tribune that he debated retiring following his 2019 campaign, but he decided this season that it was the right time.

"This is the first year I felt like the ending was real," he said. "We talked about it other years, but we knew we weren't doing it. This year felt different. …It just seemed right."

With his NFL career over, Rivers plans to coach high school football in his native state of Alabama like his father. Last May, he announced his plan to eventually become the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala., upon his retirement. He plans to arrive on campus in time to get to know his team before spring football begins.