49ers' Kyle Shanahan reflects on talks with Philip Rivers during 2022 season

Long before 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers came out of retirement to join the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad this week, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was in touch with Rivers during the 2022 season. 

San Francisco signal-callers Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo were sidelined with injuries at the time, which left then-rookie Brock Purdy as the club's starter through the NFC Championship Game. On Wednesday, Shanahan was asked about the chats he had with Rivers roughly three years ago. 

How close was Philip Rivers to joining 49ers during 2022 season?

"We talked to Phillip as soon as Jimmy broke his foot and talked about the possibility of coming in," Shanahan explained, per the 49ers' website. "I remember telling him that we really felt good about this rookie that we had, and we were having to sign other guys from other teams to even have a backup at that moment. So, we had no backup. We also had a rookie who was the last pick in the draft, and who hadn’t played a snap yet except for the mop-up time that he got, so we weren’t sure where this is going to go. But, we would like to see him go and see how he can do because we think he might do really well. But regardless, we didn’t have anyone after him at the time. So that was when Philip started watching our installs, getting ready for the possibility to come here, and he would’ve if Brock ever got hurt."

Purdy did get hurt, as he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during the NFC title game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It's now known that Rivers would have been a realistic option for the Niners had they advanced to the Super Bowl. 

Does Kyle Shanahan think Philip Rivers can play well in return? 

Rivers hasn't taken a meaningful in-game snap since the 2020 season, but he's expected to start when the 8-5 Colts play at the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks this coming Sunday. Shanahan indicated he believes Rivers won't fall flat on his face at Seattle's Lumen Field. 

"Well, when he played, he was one of the best quarterbacks of all time," Shanahan added about Rivers. "The way, as you get older, I think mobility leaves big time, arm strength doesn’t always. And when you have guys that are at an elite level who will play in the pocket and have the size to hang in there and still have arm strength to make the throws that you need to make, that gives guys like that an opportunity or a chance to be able to pull off something like this. And I would say he’s one of the few who would have a chance to do this."

The Rivers-49ers storyline is one of the great NFL-related "what ifs" of the 2020s. Rivers will now look to turn the clock back in his attempt to guide the Colts to the playoffs.