INDIANAPOLIS -- Frank Reich wants veteran Philip Rivers to be his starting quarterback in 2021, the Indianapolis Colts coach said Sunday.
"As I sit here right now, yes, I want Philip Rivers to be my starting quarterback next year," Reich said. "... I think Philip still has a lot of good football [left]."
The 39-year-old Rivers had a bounce-back season with the Colts in which he threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also had the third-best completion percentage for a season (68.0) in his career while leading the Colts back to the playoffs for just the second time since 2014.
The Colts signed Rivers to a one-year, $25 million contract in March 2020 after he spent the first 16 years of his career with the Chargers.
Rivers got emotional talking about what the future looks like for him after the team's loss to Buffalo in the wild-card round on Saturday.
"Whatever is God's will for me and my family, if it's here playing another year in Indy, then we'll be here," he said. "And if it's not, then I'll be on the sideline with a ball cap coaching the heck out of a high school football team down in south Alabama."
Rivers and backup Jacoby Brissett will be free agents this offseason. Rookie Jacob Eason is the only quarterback under contract for the Colts next season.
Whether Rivers returns next season isn't strictly up to the quarterback and Reich. General manager Chris Ballard and owner Jim Irsay will also have a say. Reich did not give a timetable on when those talks will take place about Rivers' future with the organization.
"Yes, that could change. It's the NFL," Reich said. "This isn't a one-man show. We have to do what's best for the team, and as an organization as we sit down and talk about Philip, what other options are out there, that will all get discussed. But I think what I'm really proud of for Philip, he earned the right to be in that discussion."
