This video of Philip Rivers’ passionate press conference at the 2019 season finale will no doubt hit you in the feels.
On Wednesday, the football world awakened to the news that quarterback Philip Rivers is retiring from the NFL after 17 seasons. The news didn’t come as much of a shock, considering Rivers announced that if he wasn’t going to be re-signed by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, then he’d hang up his cleats for good. Fans won’t remember Rivers for his one-off with the Colts, but for his 16 years as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers.
With the tributes rolling in, the Chargers’ official Twitter account sent out a clip from Rivers’ postgame press conference following their 2019 regular-season finale, and it will hit you right in the feels.
Rivers will forever be remembered as a Charger
Rivers was emotional in this clip, not because he lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 31-21, but because this was his final game as the starting quarterback for the Chargers. Rivers’ contract ran out at the conclusion of the campaign, and the organization decided that it would not re-sign him. For the first time in his career, Rivers was an unrestricted free agent.
His stint on the open market didn’t last long, as he signed a one-year, $25 million contract with the Colts. In his lone season in Indianapolis, Rivers threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on a 68.0 completion percentage. The Colts went on to finish 11-5 on the season and clinch a playoff berth, where they were eliminated by the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
Overall, Rivers retires with 63,440 yards, 421 touchdowns and 209 interceptions to his credit.
Rivers might not have won a Super Bowl in his career, but he’ll forever be remembered as one of the consistently great quarterbacks of the 21st century. He may not be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, but he should be getting his gold jacket down the road when he’s enshrined in Canton, Ohio.