HEADLINES

Colts, QB Philip Rivers Agree To Deal

December 9th, 2025 at 11:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a successful workout, Philip Rivers has lined up an unexpected comeback. The 44-year-old quarterback is set to finish the 2025 season with the Colts.

Team and player agreed to a practice squad deal on Tuesday, as first reported by Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Indianapolis thus has an experienced (to say the least) option at the quarterback spot as the team looks to reach the playoffs. This move comes in the aftermath of Daniel Jones suffering an Achilles tear.

[RELATED: Riley Leonard Injury Could Move Rivers To Week 15 Start]

Rivers’ workout took place last night, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. He adds things went well, which has of course been confirmed by today’s signing. As the Colts plan their immediate future under center, they could find themselves relying on a passer whose last NFL game was played on January 9, 2021 relatively soon. Of course, that final Rivers contest came as a member of the Colts.

Following a storied Chargers career (which included time spent with current Colts head coach Shane Steichen), the eight-time Pro Bowler played his last NFL campaign with Indianapolis. That 2020 season produced a record of 11-5 and it marked the last time the Colts made the playoffs. If another postseason berth is to be possible this time around, Rivers could find himself playing a part.

Jones – added this past spring on a one-year free agent deal – enjoyed career highs in several categories prior to going down. A long-term Colts commitment may well have been on the horizon, but as his attention turns to recovery it remains to be seen if that will still come to bear. Meanwhile, backup Anthony Richardson is still on IR as he continues to deal with an orbital bone fracture. This Rivers signing is a strong indication Indianapolis feels Richardson will not be cleared to return any time soon.

That leaves Leonard and practice squad veteran Brett Rypien as the Colts’ other QB options. The team could stick with Leonard for at least one start, but with a record of 8-5 there is little (if any) margin for losses over the final month of the season. Deciding Rivers – who is now a grandfather – is the best path to a playoff berth would certainly represent an interesting choice on the part of Indianapolis. At a minimum, he will make for a notable taxi squad addition.

Whether or not the former NFL passing leader finds his way onto the active roster will be worth monitoring for a number of reasons. Rivers is currently in his first year of eligibility for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he is among the 26 semifinalists for the 2026 class. As Rapoport notes, that will not change if Rivers remains on the practice squad. Should a promotion to the active roster take place, however, his five-year waiting period for HOF eligibility will reset. That will be the case regardless of if Rivers sees any playing time or not.

The Colts face a daunting schedule over the final stretch, with games remaining against the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars and Texans. Finding offensive success against each of those opponents will be challenging, but a comeback attempt from an unlikely passer could become part of Indianapolis’ 2025 season.

Falcons’ Raheem Morris ‘As Good As Gone’?

December 9th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Falcons famously chose Raheem Morris over Bill Belichick in their January 2024 head coaching search. While it’s anyone’s guess how the Falcons would have fared under Belichick, the team has disappointed with Morris at the helm. The Falcons dropped to 4-9 last Sunday with a lopsided loss to the Seahawks. They’ve won just 12 of 30 games since the beginning of last season.

Including a three-year run with the Buccaneers and a previous stint as the Falcons’ interim choice, Morris is 33-56 as a head coach in the NFL. The 49-year-old’s .371 winning percentage ranks last among active head coaches, Josh Kendall of The Athletic notes. It now appears Morris’ time in Atlanta is running out, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who writes that he’s “as good as gone.”

While that may prove true when the Falcons’ season wraps up in four weeks, Morris insists he still has the backing of owner Arthur Blank.

“Support is not an issue. He is absolutely outstanding,” Morris said of Blank (via Kendall). “His ability to listen to us, be there for us, be in it with us is 100 percent awesome.”

For his part, Morris is continuing to stick with his coaching staff. He’s not planning to make any changes this late in the season, saying they’re “irrelevant” at this point. It’s something Morris plans to evaluate after the season, though it’s up in the air whether he’ll continue in his current post.

Whether it’s Morris or someone else in 2026, Atlanta’s head coach will face an uphill battle in turning around a franchise that just extended its playoff drought to eight years. For one, the Falcons have major questions at quarterback after second-year man Michael Penix Jr. suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 11.

Penix, the initial first-round pick of the Morris era, didn’t perform particularly well during his first 14 NFL games. He also has a long-running history of serious injuries dating back to college, and it’s unknown if he’ll be ready for the beginning of the 2026 campaign. The Falcons are unlikely to retain struggling backup Kirk Cousins and his bloated contract next year, which means they’ll have to pick up QB insurance during the offseason.

Adding to the Falcons’ problems, they aren’t in position to address any needs in the first round of next year’s draft. General manager Terry Fontenot traded the team’s top 2026 selection to the Rams last spring. That move enabled the Falcons to grab edge rusher James Pearce 26th overall. Pearce has racked up a team-leading six sacks as a rookie, but the first-rounder the Falcons surrendered for him is on pace to end up in the top 10. The Rams – not Morris or his potential successor – will reap the benefits of that pick.

Colts Contacted Derek Carr During Quarterback Search

December 9th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Connor Byrne

In the wake of Daniel Jones‘ season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14, the Colts stunningly lured 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers out of retirement on Tuesday. The Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist wasn’t the only retired signal-caller the Colts showed interest in signing. The team also contacted Derek Carr, Armando Salguero of OutKick reports.

At 34, Carr would have given the Colts a much younger option than Rivers. Carr also isn’t nearly as far removed from playing in the NFL as Rivers, who hung it up after the 2020 season. Carr, a four-time Pro Bowler, started in all 10 of his appearances with the Saints last year.

While battling a debilitating shoulder injury, Carr decided to call it a career in May. The Saints announced then that Carr had “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.”

Seven months later, it’s unclear if Carr is even healthy enough to resume his career. However, as of September, Carr hadn’t closed the door on a potential NFL return. At least two teams have mulled adding him this year. Before acquiring Joe Flacco from the Browns in early October, the Bengals considered Carr as a potential substitute for the then-injured Joe Burrow.

With the Nov. 4 trade deadline still weeks away at the time, the Bengals could have swung a deal with New Orleans for Carr. The fact that the deadline has passed and the Saints still own Carr’s rights complicates matters. Even if Carr is motivated to play, he can’t sign with the Colts or anyone else unless the Saints release him from the reserve/retired list. Cutting Carr at this stage of the season would subject him to waivers. The Colts wouldn’t have first dibs on Carr in that scenario.

Carr to the Colts will go down as an interesting what-if. Should the Colts elevate Rivers from their practice squad, it would make them one of the league’s most fascinating teams to watch down the stretch. Having fallen to 8-5 since a 7-1 start, the Colts are now sitting outside of the AFC playoff picture after a brief run as the top seed in the conference.

With Jones and backups Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard all injured, Rivers may step in for part or all of an intimidating four-game stretch. The Colts’ remaining foes – the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans – have gone a combined 36-16 this season. All hold playoff spots at the moment, and the Colts are looking up at the Jaguars (9-4) and Texans (8-5) in the AFC South.

Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

December 9th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.

The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.

Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.

Here is an updated look at the first-round order:

  1. New York Giants (2-11)
  2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
  3. Tennessee Titans (2-11)
  4. Cleveland Browns (3-10)
  5. New Orleans Saints (3-10)
  6. Washington Commanders (3-10)
  7. New York Jets (3-10)
  8. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
  9. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
  11. Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
  12. Miami Dolphins (6-7)
  13. Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
  14. Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
  15. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
  16. Carolina Panthers (7-6)
  17. Detroit Lions (8-5)
  18. New York Jets (via Colts)
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
  21. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
  22. Houston Texans (8-5)
  23. Chicago Bears (9-4)
  24. Buffalo Bills (9-4)
  25. Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
  26. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
  27. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
  28. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
  29. Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
  30. New England Patriots (11-2)
  31. Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
  32. Denver Broncos (11-2)

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/25

December 9th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: LB K.C. Ossai

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: LB Nate Lynn, TE Cole Turner
  • Placed on IR: TE Joel Wilson

Washington Commanders

Giants punter Jamie Gillan is dealing with an injury, so they brought in several punters to try out on Tuesday. Johnston emerged as the best of the group and will be on hand for punting duties in Week 15 if Gillan is not healthy enough to play.

Cardinals LT Paris Johnson Expected To Miss Time

December 9th, 2025 at 10:33pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Cardinals left tackle Paris Johnson is expected to miss time due to a sprained MCL, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Johnson, 24, left Sunday’s game against the Rams and did not return. He was replaced by undrafted rookie Josh Fryar, who has become a regular figure in Arizona’s offense in the last month. He has played 87 snaps in the last four weeks, including a Week 11 start at right tackle, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Fryar will likely start in Johnson’s place in Week 15 if the 2023 first-round pick cannot go.

Johnson has been one of the few consistent bright spots for the Cardinals offense in 2025. He played every snap until he injured his knee and his 76.6 grade from PFF is second on the team to tight end Trey McBride.

The injury does not seem to be serious enough to justify a long-term absence, and the Cardinals may even see how Johnson looks in practice this week before ruling him out for their next game against the Texans. Houston’s pass rush has been fierce this season, and Johnson would have played a major role in slowing down Danielle Hunter on the blind side.

The third-year offensive tackle has made a strong case for his fifth-year option to be picked up this offseason. Johnson has already reached the second-tier price of $19.95MM based on his playtime, per OverTheCap, and a Pro Bowl nod would push his 2027 cost to $24.63MM. He is currently leading fan voting for the Pro Bowl, per Rapoport, but he will need support from players and coaches to add that extra $4.68MM to his earning potential.

Johnson will also be eligible for a long-term extension this offseason. He played left tackle during his final year at Ohio State but struggled when flipped to the right side in Arizona. Johnson moved back to left tackle in 2024 and has put together two solid seasons, which should position him for a strong extension in the next two years. The left tackle market is now well over $25MM per year for the best players, and Johnson’s age and potential could have him knocking on that door in long-term contract talks.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/25

December 9th, 2025 at 9:13pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Las Vegas Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jones was waived by the Chargers on Monday and quickly found himself joining one of the NFL’s best defenses in Houston. The Texans recently lost Tim Settle to a season-ending injury, so Jones will help fill his snaps in the defensive line rotation.

Riley Leonard Dealing With PCL Sprain, ‘Very Real Chance’ Philip Rivers Starts For Colts

December 9th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Colts’ quarterback situation remains in flux after a season-ending injury to quarterback Daniel Jones.

Riley Leonard, who finished Sunday’s game, is dealing with a Grade 1 PCL sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His status will be updated on Wednesday when the Colts release their first injury report of Week 15. That could position Philip Rivers to start within a week of re-signing in Indianapolis.

With Leonard considered day-to-day, there is a “very real chance” that Rivers starts for Indianapolis in Week 15, Rapoport added later in the day. His Monday night workout showed that he still can pass the football, but his conditioning may not be game-ready quiet yet, according to ESPN’s Eric Holder.

The Colts may have been planning to bring Rivers in regardless of Leonard’s injury, but it certainly has raised the urgency for the team to add another quarterback, especially one that could come in and play right away. Rivers is very familiar with Colts head coach Shane Steichen after spending six seasons together with the Chargers. Steichen was the team’s quarterbacks coach for four years while Rivers was the starter. Their relationship played a role in this latest reunion, per Holder.

And despite not playing in the last few years, Rivers still has a deep understanding of the Colts’ offensive scheme. After retiring, he took over as the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. He has been running a version of Steichen’s offense, per CBS Sports’ J.J. Watt, with the two discussing it weekly.

This is not the only time that Rivers has considered coming out of retirement with other quarterback situations occasionally stirring some conversations, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, but none have ever made enough sense to actually pull the trigger. His past relationship with Steichen and the Colts clearly make this a different situation.

Rivers will have a short week to get into playing shape and build chemistry with his new teammates, though he has already played with a few. Left guard Quenton Nelson and right tackle Braden Smith blocked for Rivers in 2020; also in that offense were then-rookies Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman.

NFL Investigating Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill’s Domestic Violence Allegations

December 9th, 2025 at 7:08pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The NFL will interview Tyreek Hill‘s wife, Keeta Vaccaro, as part of their investigation into the 31-year-old wide receiver’s alleged domestic violence, per Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald.

Vaccaro filed for divorced from Hill in April. Court filings in September accused Hill of domestic violence, including multiple acts committed while Vacarro was pregnant. More recent documents reveal for the first time that the league is investigating those allegations.

This is the third known allegation of domestic violence against Hill. The first came during Hill’s time at Oklahoma State and led to his removal from the football and track teams, as well as several NFL teams’ draft boards. The second was in 2019 while he was on the Chiefs. Both came from Hill’s ex-fiancé and the mother of his children, Crystal Espinal. The NFL could not levy a punishment for Hill’s pre-draft conduct and their 2019 investigation produced no consequences, either.

The league will now be looking into Vaccaro’s claims, which include eight separate acts of domestic violence. The investigation will include an interview with Vaccaro, who is also asking that Hill’s deposition from their divorce case be provided to the NFL.

The investigation will hang over Hill as he enters the 2026 offseason. He is owed $36MM next year, a figure that the Dolphins nor any other team will want to pay. He is expected to hit free agency and search for a new team, a process that could be impacted by this investigation and a resulting punishment. Hill also hinted at the potential for retirement in late October.

49ers Release K Matt Gay From Practice Squad, Add WR Javon Baker

December 9th, 2025 at 4:53pm CST by Connor Byrne

After a two-game run as their kicker, the 49ers announced that they have released Matt Gay from their practice squad. The team also parted with taxi squad quarterback Adrian Martinez.

Gay began the season with Washington, which cut him after he converted just 13 of 19 field goals in 10 games. The 31-year-old quickly caught on with the 49ers, who needed a temporary replacement for the injured Eddy Pineiro. Gay went on to perform well for San Francisco, hitting all four field goals and each of his four extra points in a pair of victories.

The 49ers will now turn back to Pineiro, who was out with a hamstring strain. Pineiro opened 2025 without a team, but the 49ers scooped him up after Jake Moody went 1 for 3 on field goals in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks. The 49ers cut Moody for Pineiro, which has worked out well for the club.

While Pineiro has only connected on 18 of 22 extra points this season, he has converted all 22 of his field goals. That includes six from 50-plus yards. If Pineiro keeps that up, it could help the 49ers (9-4) chase down the 10-3 Rams and Seahawks in the ultra-competitive NFC West.

Martinez, a 2023 undrafted free agent from Kansas State, appeared in one of the 49ers’ games this season. They had a greater need for Martinez, who briefly spent time on the active roster, when starter Brock Purdy was on the shelf for several weeks with a toe injury. Purdy returned in Week 11, Mac Jones remains in the fold as the backup, and the 49ers opened rookie seventh-round signal-caller Kurtis Rourke‘s practice window on Monday. They’re now the only QBs left in the organization.

With Gay and Martinez on their way out, the 49ers signed wide receiver Javon Baker to their practice squad. The Patriots used a fourth-rounder on Baker in 2024, but he caught just one pass in 11 games as a rookie. The former Alabama and UCF wideout didn’t make the Patriots’ roster out of camp this year. He briefly caught on with the Eagles’ practice squad, but they released him in mid-October.

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