Philip Rivers reveals how much truth there was to blockbuster NFL return with 49ers before Super Bowl 57

Philip Rivers became the talk of the league for at least one day in the lead-up to Patrick Mahomes' showdown against Jalen Hurts. Brock Purdy's injury ended the team's ability to get to the big game but had they pulled off a miracle win, it could have been Philip Rivers taking the snaps against former division foe Mahomes.

Speaking on the "Pro Football Doc" podcast, Rivers talked about the possibility and revealed just how far it went.

“It was real. I am a little heavier than I was. I’m not my prime playing weight. But there was a stretch where I was throwing, putting on shoulder pads, we were going through the route tree, my brother was catching.

"I was trying to get myself in a position to at least make the decision and not have to say no because I wasn’t physically ready. I was getting there."

He continued, claiming that he didn't want his only Super Bowl appearance to come that way, he wanted to earn it:

"The further it went, the less likely it was for me just because I really didn’t want to feel like a guest quarterback. ... Was I gonna sign the week of the Super Bowl and play? I don’t think I could’ve got there.”

How long has Philip Rivers been out of the NFL?

Philip Rivers at Indianapolis Colts v Detroit Lions

To some, it seems that the former quarterback of the Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts was just in the league. However, it has already been a third of a decade. Rivers threw his last pass at the end of the 2020 season on January 9, 2021.

Since his retirement, the league has gone on to play two seasons without the quarterback. The 2024 offseason will be the third offseason without Rivers. In his final year, Rivers brought the team an 11-5 record, flipping his 2019 5-11 record with the Los Angeles Chargers on its head.

Rivers' final game came in a Wild Card showdown against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, losing the game 24-27. The former quarterback is now 42 and lives in Alabama.