Philip Rivers retiring from NFL

Philip Rivers is hanging up his cleats after 17 seasons.

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he's retiring from the NFL.

"It's just time," Rivers said. "It's just right."

"What has helped me come to this (decision) is the growing desire to coach high school football," he added. "That's what I've always wanted to do. It's been growing. I can't wait."

One of the most productive and consistent quarterbacks in league history, Rivers played the first 16 years of his career with the then-San Diego (later Los Angeles) Chargers before signing with Indianapolis last March.

The 39-year-old is the Chargers' all-time leader in wins, passing yards, and passing touchdowns, and he was named to eight Pro Bowls while with the club.

Rivers also ends his career starting 240 straight games without missing one to injury, trailing only Brett Favre at quarterback.

The former No. 4 overall pick ranks fifth in league history with 63,440 career passing yards and 421 touchdowns. Despite never capturing a Super Bowl, he should have a legitimate chance of being enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Rivers led the Colts to an 11-5 record and a postseason berth in 2020, topping 4,000 yards for the eighth straight season and 12th time in his career. His final campaign ended with a wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills.

"This is the first year I felt like the ending was real," he said. "We talked about it other years, but we knew we weren't doing it. This year felt different. … It just seemed right."