Philip Rivers Has No Plans To Retire, Open To Playing For Another Team

Chargers QB Philip Rivers told reporters after Sunday’s game that he isn’t considering retirement and he plans to be playing next year, even if it’s with another team. 

“Whether it’s exactly the end or not, which it still could be, but either way we’re still probably on 16 playing a little par-3 with only two holes to go,” Rivers said, via Pro Football Talk. “I’m definitely on that back stretch. There’s been times I’ve been a little emotional even at the house talking through things and thinking about the last blitz protection meeting or the last bus ride. Those things I have gotten to every now and then.”

“Yeah, I plan to play football, so yeah,” Rivers added. “Again, where that’s going to be, I think that’s going get sorted out over the next three months, I guess. I’ve never been in this position. I usually don’t even know when the league year starts and when all those things are. We’ll just kind of see. Again, I’m very thankful for 16 years, and if there’s another, I’ll be thankful for that one. But I think just with the uncertainty just comes that unknown.”

Despite a down year, Rivers says “there’s no question” he can still play at a high level. 

“As far as can I do it? There’s no question,” Rivers said. “Do I still want to? Absolutely. There’s really no chip to prove anything to anybody. I know the people that know, know, and that’s that I still can play at a high level.”

The Chargers have been doing work on quarterback prospects for a few straight years and some expect the team to have a new signal-caller next year, despite Rivers’ long run with the franchise. 

Rivers, 38, is a former first-round pick of the Giants back in 2004. He was later traded to the Chargers in return for Eli Manning.

Rivers is in the final year of his five-year, $99 million contract that includes $65 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $11 million for the 2019 season. He will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NFL career. 

Entering today’s game, Rivers had appeared in 15 games for the Chargers and completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 4,334 yards, 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

We have him featured in our Top 50 – 2020 Free Agents list.