Forty-four-year-old grandfather Philip Rivers was happily coaching his son’s high school football team and watching NFL games from the sofa when the Indianapolis Colts called with an unexpected offer: would he like to play again?

“Heck yeah, I’m interested,” Rivers told Colts head coach Shane Steichen over the phone, before quickly traveling from Alabama to Indiana on Monday to suit up and throw passes in practice.

Rivers could see action as soon as this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, potentially stepping in for injured quarterback Daniel Jones in a critical stretch for the Colts’ playoff hopes.

“I wasn’t really hanging on any hope of playing again—I kind of thought that ship had sailed,” Rivers admitted Wednesday, reflecting on the sudden turn of events.

The call to Rivers was no surprise to those familiar with his career. He played nearly 250 games for the Colts and the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers over a 17-year NFL career and ranks sixth all-time in passing touchdowns.

At 44, Rivers is just a year older than Tom Brady was when he won his seventh and final Super Bowl in 2021. He is also four years younger than George Blanda, the oldest quarterback to play in the NFL, who suited up at 48 for the Oakland Raiders in 1975.

Speaking to reporters, Rivers acknowledged he is far from the shape he was in during his last NFL season in 2021. A noticeably heavier Rivers joked he isn’t “sure” what he currently weighs and said his wife was especially “nervous about the physical aspect” of returning to one of sports’ most demanding positions.

“All of us, even me… are a little scared, a little nervous,” he said. “Who wouldn’t have doubt after five years?”

Rivers, a father of 10, said his youngest children will be thrilled to see him on the field, having been too young to remember his previous NFL seasons.

Whether Rivers actually plays on Sunday depends on the health of the Colts’ third-string quarterback, rookie Riley Leonard, who suffered a knee injury while replacing Jones last weekend. Coach Steichen said the team will evaluate the situation during practice this week before making a final decision.

The Colts (8-5) are on the playoff bubble and face a challenging schedule in the closing weeks of the season.

“We’re taking this thing one day at a time,” Rivers said. “The easiest way to eliminate all the things that can go bad is to stay home. And the only way to find out, ‘can you still do it,’ is to go try.”