Philip Rivers is coming off another strong season with the Los Angeles Chargers. But how much longer can the 37-year-old quarterback play?
Following the Los Angeles Chargers’ exit from the 2018 NFL Playoffs, General Manager Tom Telesco spoke to the media about their priorities for the offseason. One of the big questions that surround the Chargers is how long they plan to stick with 37-year-old QB Philip Rivers, who has been the team’s starter since 2006. According to Telesco, Rivers isn’t going anywhere.
“I can tell you he isn’t going anywhere,” Telesco said during Thursday’s press conference. “He’s going to be here, but we’ll all talk at the right point as far as the moves we need to make in the offseason, the resources we have and kind of see how it all fits in. But yeah, he’s not going anywhere.”
But how long can Rivers play? The answer isn’t clear. Philip Rivers is part of an unprecedented class of quarterbacks who are doing great things at the late stages of their career. Rivers led the Chargers to a 12-4 record and a two-game playoff run before they lost to a team led by another great quarterback, Tom Brady, who also shows no sign of nearing retiring at age 41.
In 2018, Rivers earned the most wins he’s had with the Chargers since 2009. He finished the season with a 105.5 passer rating, which is his highest since 2013. He threw for over 4,000 yards, over 500 completions, and over 30 touchdowns. And he took his team to the postseason for the first time in five years.
How long can Rivers play at this level? It’s not clear. Like other QBs in his class, Rivers is trying to figure out how to navigate this new territory. His contract expires after the 2019 season, but Telesco and others in the Chargers organization see Rivers as the leader of this team. That hasn’t changed with age.
“You’ll have to ask Philip (how much longer he wants to play). I don’t know,” Telesco said. “I have to almost think year to year, but I know he has more than that but for planning purposes you’re always looking just to make sure. I couldn’t put a number on it but I haven’t seen drop off in Philip since I arrived here six years ago… I guess the sky’s the limit.”