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Philip Rivers is coming back to the NFL at 44 years old. The veteran quarterback, who hung up his cleats after the 2020 season following a 17-year career, is rejoining the Indianapolis Colts – the team where he finished his playing days. It’s a move born of necessity for the Colts, who’ve been hammered at quarterback. Daniel Jones is done for the year, Anthony Richardson Sr. sits on injured reserve, and there’s no guarantee Riley Leonard will be available. Rivers emerged as an unexpected emergency option to step in if needed.
Having just turned 44 on Monday, his return comes with some eye-popping context.
Rivers’ oldest daughter is actually a few months older than the 23-year-old rookie Leonard. In Rivers’ final NFL season, he handed off to rookie Jonathan Taylor – who’s now approaching his third Pro Bowl selection and sixth year in the league. When the Giants drafted Rivers (before immediately trading him to San Diego), his new rookie tight end Tyler Warren was barely approaching his second birthday.
But the most remarkable detail? Rivers is a grandfather.
He mentioned in a May video on Jon Gruden’s YouTube channel that he had a 6-month-old grandson.
Rivers won’t be breaking new ground, though. He’s not the first NFL grandparent.
Here’s a look at notable grandparents who kept playing across America’s major sports leagues:
Brett Favre
Favre’s legendary career spanned from 1991 until 2010. During that stretch, he collected three MVP awards, won a Super Bowl, and started an incredible 297 consecutive regular-season games. Just before his final season, he became a grandfather.
“A grandpa at 40. It almost makes me feel old,” Favre joked after the news broke.
Julio Franco
You’d struggle to find a baseball career longer or more globe-trotting than Franco’s. Starting in the minors in 1978, he spent the next three-plus decades playing all over the world. His passport got stamps from teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Chiba Lotte Marines, Samsung Lions, and Mexico City Tigers – among many others.
Franco’s marathon career had him still playing in the majors at 49 when he welcomed a grandchild.
Robert Parish
The Hall of Fame center accomplished plenty during his NBA career – nine All-Star selections and four championships stand out – but Parish’s most impressive feat might be his longevity. Playing into his 40s, he still holds the NBA record for total games played.
By the time he finally passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for that record, Parish had already become a grandfather.
“We don’t keep records on that,” an NBA official said when asked if Parish was the league’s first active grandfather.
Gordie Howe
Before LeBron and Bronny James or the Griffey father-son duo, there were the Howes. Gordie, one of hockey’s greatest players ever, shared the ice with not one but two of his sons during the later years of his three-decade professional career.
When he finally retired at 52, there was another Howe family member even the ageless wonder couldn’t stick around long enough to play alongside – his grandchild, who was born while he was still lacing up his skates.
Stan Musial
One of baseball’s greatest ever, Musial claimed three MVP awards and appeared in an incredible 24 All-Star games throughout his career that stretched from 1941 to 1963.
Musial holds a special distinction even within the small club of playing grandparents – perhaps the best debut performance after becoming one. He crushed a two-run homer on the first pitch of his first at-bat following his grandchild’s birth.
Fittingly, during his final season, fans gifted the legendary Cardinal rocking chairs and a savings bond for his newborn grandson.
