The Indianapolis Colts have officially entered desperation mode. With Daniel Jones suffering an Achilles injury and backup Riley Leonard now week-to-week with a strained knee ligament, Indy is down to scraps at quarterback. And in a move nobody in their wildest dreams expected in 2025, the franchise is flying in 44-year-old Philip Rivers, a grandfather who hasn’t taken an NFL snap since 2020, for a workout.
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Rivers, a borderline Hall of Famer with more than 63,000 passing yards and 421 touchdowns, last threw a pass during his lone season with the Colts five years ago. Since then, he’s been coaching high school football in Alabama, which is why even Adam Schefter stressed the surreal nature of the situation: “He’s 44… last played in the NFL in 2020… and is a grandfather.”
Yet given how thin the Colts’ depth chart is, they’re seriously entertaining the possibility. And that’s exactly where the internet exploded, because if a 44-year-old who hasn’t played in half a decade can get a workout, where does that leave Colin Kaepernick?
And as it turned out, the former 49ers quarterback began trending because many simply couldn’t resist the irony.
“Philip Rivers, 44 y/o getting a return to the NFL before Colin Kaepernick who’s 38!” one user tweeted on X. Another posted a shocked Steve Harvey GIF with the caption: “Colin Kaepernick seeing 44-year-old Philip Rivers get an opportunity before him.”
And to pour more fuel on the fire, a reliable X account — NFL Rumors — stirred the pot further: “Former 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick has let people know he has kept in shape as Colts QB rumors swirl.”
Former 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick has let people know he has kept in shape as Colts QB rumors swirl pic.twitter.com/CLmrrNXL5f
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) December 9, 2025
Just a year ago, Kaepernick told Sky News he was “still training, still pushing,” hoping an owner would finally open a door back into the league. From writing letters to teams like the Jets to participating in workouts, he’s repeatedly expressed he can “bring a lot to a team and help them win a championship.”
However, with Philip Rivers getting a real shot at returning, many fans are rejecting the idea of a Kaep comeback altogether.
“Fam! That ship sailed, hit an iceberg, and sank!! If he truly wanted to play the last 5-8 yrs… the CFL and hell even the UFL was an option,” one person argued. “It’s gonna be 2030 and we’re still gonna have ‘reports’ of Kaepernick seeking an NFL comeback,” another added sarcastically.
Humor and narrative aside, it must be said that Rivers coming back makes more sense because even if he may be 44, he last played in 2020. Kaepernick, meanwhile, hasn’t played since 2016. Add to this Rivers’ certified NFL pedigree, and it explains why teams, when pressed into an emergency situation, would look toward ‘grandpa’ Rivers.
Moreover, from an Indianapolis Colts perspective, Rivers already knows the building, the league’s speed, and even has history with HC Shane Steichen, who coached him with the Chargers. Kaepernick, on the other hand, remains a name with buzz but no recent tape for the team.
