Philip Rivers officially retired from the NFL last month, ending speculation about a potential comeback that had lingered for years.
The former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback spent 16 of his 17 professional seasons with that franchise, and his last NFL game came during the 2020 season with the Indianapolis Colts.
The timing of his retirement announcement caught many off guard, and Rivers recently explained his delay in making the decision public.
“The legendary Philip Rivers said he didn’t retire until earlier this month because he had been receiving interest from teams, including the [New Orleans] Saints in 2021 and the [San Francisco] 49ers in 2022,” Dov Kleiman wrote on X.
Wow: The legendary Philip Rivers said he didn’t retire until earlier this month because he had been receiving interest from teams, including the Saints in 2021 and the 49ers in 2022.
I wonder why he didn’t sign with San Francisco…
(via @dpshow) pic.twitter.com/KKPWmtgqvS
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 1, 2025
The Saints reached out to Rivers when injuries and COVID-19 created the need for a quarterback.
New Orleans was so desperate that it contacted both Rivers and Drew Brees about potential comebacks.
The 49ers found themselves in a similar situation the following year. Trey Lance suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2, then Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot in Week 13.
San Francisco considered bringing Rivers aboard, but Brock Purdy’s emergence eliminated that need.
With Purdy and Josh Johnson, the 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game, where both quarterbacks suffered injuries against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Had San Francisco somehow advanced, Rivers might have found himself starting in Super Bowl LVII.
Rivers revealed that discussions with both franchises never progressed significantly.
He had little interest in joining a team midseason and potentially determining its playoff fate after arriving so late in the campaign.
The eight-time Pro Bowler ranks sixth in NFL history with 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdown passes.
