With Daniel Jones out for the season and Riley Leonard considered week to week with a strained knee ligament, the Indianapolis Colts are exploring an unexpected option for quarterback depth — the team will work out former Colts quarterback and current St. Michael Catholic head football coach Philip Rivers on Tuesday, NFL Network is saying.

“Riley Leonard has a strained knee ligament and is considered week to week; one of the options is the 44-year-old Philip Rivers,” senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Monday Night Countdown. “They (the Colts) are going to put through a workout with Rivers on Tuesday — it is a question of whether or not Rivers would want to do it. He has to be 100% convicted. He doesn't know if he is, and the Colts are also shifting through other options.”

Rivers has previously trained with Leonard, an Eastern Shore native, during offseason workouts in Fairhope and would join a quarterback room that is currently depending on Leonard’s availability.

Rivers, who turned 44 on Dec. 8, last played in the NFL in 2020, his lone season in Indianapolis. He threw for 4,169 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions that year, guiding the Colts to an 11-5 record and a wild-card playoff appearance. Indianapolis ultimately fell to the Buffalo Bills in a tightly contested postseason game.

The longtime Charger has stayed connected to the sport through his coaching role at St. Michael Catholic, where he recently completed his fifth season. The Cardinals’ season ended two weeks ago with a semifinal loss to Jackson. The team is led by quarterback Gunner Rivers, Rivers’ son, a rising senior who is the top prospect in Alabama for 2027.

Before the start of the 2024 season, Rivers spoke at media day about his decision to officially retire in July 2025. He said he made the call after filming a tribute video for former Chargers teammate Antonio Gates and realizing he “could knock that out” as well. Despite stepping away, Rivers has repeatedly said he would remain open to returning to the NFL under the right circumstances.

If the Colts choose to add the 17-year veteran to the roster, he could potentially take the reins of an 8-5 team sitting eighth in the AFC playoff picture and one game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. Currently, the oldest player in the NFL is the Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers, who turned 42 on Dec. 2. Broncos tight end Marcedes Lewis, Jets kicker Nick Folk and Bills kicker Matt Prater are all 41.

Rivers is also currently a semifinalist for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame.