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Philip Rivers' return to the Indianapolis Colts stunned the NFL, leaving some wondering whether his body will be able to hold up at 44 years old and five years after retirement.
Before Monday's report that the Colts were considering a reunion with Rivers, who spent one season in Indianapolis before announcing his retirement, the next phase of the quarterback's NFL life appeared to be the Hall of Fame. Rivers is a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026, which will be announced in February.
A return to the field is set to impact Rivers' Hall of Fame eligibility, however, shaking up the timeline for the former Chargers star.
Here's a look at how Rivers' unretirement affects his Hall of Fame eligibility.
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When is Philip Rivers eligible for the Hall of Fame?
Before Rivers was signed to the Colts' active roster, he remained eligible for the Hall of Fame for the class of 2026, which will be revealed in February. But once he was elevated to the active roster in Week 15 of the 2025 season, however, Rivers' eligibility reset, meaning he will now have to wait another five years to return to the ballot.
Rivers, who was tabbed as the Colts' immediate Week 15 starter upon signing with the team, will now be on the ballot in 2030 for the class of 2031, which would be revealed in February of 2031.
If Rivers had participated in practice and suddenly decided a return wasn't the right decision and never jumped from the practice squad to the active roster, his Hall of Fame eligibility would have remained exactly as it is, keeping him in the mix to be elected in the coming months.
That did not happen, however. He was officially elevated by Indianapolis, resetting his Hall of Fame clock for another five years as he makes a near-unprecedented return to the field.
In regards to Philip Rivers Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility, according to The Hall: If he is signed to the active roster, his HOF eligibility clock resets. That's a 5-year wait. If he is only signed the practice squad, it does not. Rivers is one of 26 semifinalists for the…
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) December 9, 2025MORE WEEK 15 NFL:
Is Philip Rivers a Hall of Famer?
Rivers is not yet a Hall of Famer but has been a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026. This was Rivers' first year of eligibility, as players must be out of the NFL for at least five years to be considered. However, with his decision to unretire, his candidacy is set to wait a few more years again.
Whether Rivers will be a Hall of Famer is an interesting debate. There was likely no path to election in 2026, as Drew Brees is assured of a spot and Larry Fitzgerald is expected to be another first-timer who gains entry to Canton. There are no rules preventing voters from electing two quarterbacks or three first-timers in the same class, but history shows it doesn't happen very often.
With Rivers' clock now reset, he could be up for election next to another Hall of Fame lock in 2031 because Aaron Rodgers has said this could be his final season. If Rodgers does walk away after 2025 with Rivers' clock reset, the two would be on track to join the Hall of Fame ballot in late 2030 for the class of 2031.
For Rivers, the counting stats are Hall of Fame-worthy, as he ranks sixth all-time in touchdown passes and seventh in passing yards, but he and the Chargers never won or even competed for championships the way Tom Brady's New England Patriots, Ben Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers or Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts did.
MORE: Inside Philip Rivers' family tree
Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists 2026
Here's a look at Rivers and the 26 total semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026:
- QB Drew Brees (first year)
- QB Eli Manning
- QB Philip Rivers (first year)
- RB Frank Gore (first year)
- RB Fred Taylor
- WR Larry Fitzgerald (first year)
- WR Torry Holt
- WR Steve Smith
- WR Hines Ward
- WR Reggie Wayne
- TE Jason Witten (first year)
- OL Willie Anderson
- OL Lomas Brown
- OL Jahri Evans
- OL Richmond Webb
- OL Steve Wisniewski
- OL Marshal Yanda
- DL Robert Mathis
- DL Vince Wilfork
- DL Kevin Williams
- LB Luke Kuechly
- LB Terrell Suggs
- S Rodney Harrison
- S Earl Thomas
- S Darren Woodson
- K Adam Vinatieri
Brees and Rivers are joined by a returning Eli Manning in the quarterback room, while Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald and Jason Witten round out the class of first-year semifinalists.
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