QB Rivers retires after standout 17-season career
When Philip Rivers first started tossing footballs as a high-school ball boy, he heaved them any way he could. The throwing motion stuck — and success soon followed.
Rivers used that strange, shot put-like style to land a college scholarship, become a first-round draft pick and eventually string together one of the greatest 17-year careers in NFL history. On Wednesday, the 39-year-old Indianapolis Colts quarterback announced his retirement.
“Every year, Jan. 20 is a special and emotional day,” Rivers said in a statement posted on the team’s website. “It is St. Sebastian’s Feast day, the day I played in the AFC championship without an ACL, and now the day that after 17 seasons, I’m announcing my retirement from the National Football League. Thank you God for allowing me to live out my childhood dream of playing quarterback in the NFL. I am grateful to the Chargers for 16 seasons, and the Colts for the 17th season.” Rivers was one of a kind. Between his trademark throwing style and his penchant for trash-talking without cussing, he carved out his own niche in the NFL.
There’s no doubt Rivers could sling it.
When he threw for 401 yards and five touchdowns in his second college game, then-Indiana Hoosiers
coach and future NFL head coach Cam Cameron proclaimed that the North Carolina State freshman had a future in the NFL.
After being selected fourth overall in the 2004 draft, he was immediately traded from the New York Giants to the San Diego Chargers for Eli Manning. Rivers spent the next two seasons backing up Drew Brees in San Diego before taking over as the starter when Brees left in free agency.
In the 2006 season opener, Rivers made his starting debut — and then the next 251 in a row including the playoffs. Nothing kept him out — not the awkward mechanics, not the critics who thought he should retire after his final season with the Chargers, not even the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered against the Colts following the 2007 playoffs.
His 240 consecutive regular-season starts was the second-longest streak since 1970, trailing only Brett Favre (297), and it was one of the few stats Rivers cherished.
Rivers won 134 career games — No. 2 among quarterbacks without a Super Bowl ring — and was eighth all-time. Only Tom Brady (230), two-time Super Bowl champs Peyton Manning (186) and Ben Roethlisberger (156), Brees (172) and Hall of Famers Favre (186), John Elway (148) and Dan Marino (147) won more regular-season games than Rivers.
He also finished his career ranked fifth in career completions (5,277), yards passing (63,440) and touchdown passes (421), and as the Chargers’ franchise record-holder in every major passing category. Elsewhere: Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes remained in the NFL’s concussion protocol Wednesday, but practiced in a limited capacity, raising hopes that the reigning Super Bowl MVP can play in Sunday’s AFC title game against Buffalo. The Chiefs typically breeze through their midweek practice with little contact before ramping things up with their longest workout Thursday, and coach Andy Reid said afterward that fit perfectly with what Mahomes was able to do.
ETC.
MLB: All-Star outfielder
● George Springer
became the most prominent among baseball’s free agents to reach an agreement this offseason, a $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Springer, who turned 31 in September, is a threetime All-Star who has spent his entire seven-season career with Houston and was the World Series MVP when the Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games for their first title in 2017. The championship was later tainted when it was discovered Houston illicitly stole signs that season. … Outfielder Michael Brantley agreed to a two-year, $32 million contract with the Houston Astros, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
Soccer: Cristiano
●
Ronaldo scored to help Juventus win a recordextending ninth Italian Super Cup by beating Napoli 2-0.
Napoli missed the chance to take the match to extra time when captain
Lorenzo Insigne missed a late penalty and Álvaro Morata sealed the result with the last kick of the game. It was Juve’s ninth Super Cup title, taking it two above AC Milan. …
Paul Pogba scored a longrange winner for the second time in a week as Manchester United came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 and move back to the top of the Premier League on Wednesday.
College basketball:
Georgia Tech (7-3, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) returned from a 17-day layoff with one of its most impressive showings of the season, routing No. 20 Clemson 83-65 as three players scored more than 20 points. Michael Devoe
led the way with 22 points, while Moses Wright and Jordan Usher chipped in with 21 apiece.
Tennis: The U.S. Men’s ●
Clay Court Championship in Houston was canceled for the second year in a row because of the coronavirus pandemic, part of a series of changes to the men’s tennis calendar announced by the ATP. The Houston tournament was supposed to be played April 3-11.