Due to his wife’s significant and vital player retirement
India Park: Philip Rivers has been living one of his life’s dreams for the last seventeen years.
It’s time to fulfill his second dream, which is to coach high school football like his father did.
Rivers announced his retirement from the NFL today. He spent the first 16 years of his illustrious career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, and he recently finished his first season as the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.
“It’s just time,” Rivers said to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It’s just right.”
Rivers made this announcement on Wednesday morning as well.
January 20th is a memorable and sentimental day for me every year. This day marks three things: St. Sebastian’s Feast, the day I participated in the AFC championship without an ACL, and the day I officially announce my retirement from the National Football League following 17 seasons. I’m grateful to God for granting me the opportunity to fulfill my childhood dream of being an NFL quarterback.
For 16 seasons, I am thankful to the Chargers, and for the 17th season, to the Colts.
I’m grateful to all of my coaches for helping me develop both personally and as a player.
Many thanks to the support team.
I like how every week the opposing defenses make it difficult both mentally and physically. I relished the banter as well.
I am grateful to the referees for enduring my constant fussing. Dadgummit, I believe that most of the time I was correct!
We appreciate the support of the cheering and jeering supporters in San Diego and across the country.
With special thanks to my teammates. Being a teammate is unquestionably my favorite aspect of the game. I’m grateful that you are mine.
To my wife and best friend Tiffany, as well as our kids, Halle, Caroline, Grace, Gunner, Sarah, Peter, Rebecca, Clare, and Anna, I would like to express my gratitude. I couldn’t have succeeded without your resolute assistance.
The end of my playing career means the start of a new chapter.
COEPI NUNC.”
At N.C. State, where he started 51 straight games from 2000 to 2003 and broke multiple school and ACC records, Rivers, 39, had an exceptional collegiate career. He completed 1,087 of 1,710 pass attempts (63.6 percent) for 13,484 yards with 95 touchdowns to 34 interceptions and also scored 17 touchdowns on the ground.
Then, Rivers played a significant role in the historic 2004 NFL Draft, in which Rivers was selected by the New York Giants at No. 4 overall and Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the first overall pick. However, Manning had stated that he would not play for the Chargers, so the first-round signal callers from San Diego and New York were traded.
Later on, Rivers emerged as the Chargers’ most prolific passer. He completed 4,908 of 7,591 passes (64.7%) for 59,271 yards and 397 touchdowns in his 16 seasons with the team, all franchise records. He was chosen for eight Pro Bowls as well.
Rivers, who finished his career with the Chargers with more than 30 franchise records, including yards per passing attempt (7.8), completion percentage (64.7), passing touchdown percentage (5.2), interception percentage (2.6), and quarterback rating (95.1), was a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2011.
