Colts’ Jacoby Brissett was ‘surprised’ when the team signed Philip Rivers

Jacoby Brissett, Colts, Philip Rivers
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Indianapolis Colts made a notable change at the quarterback position earlier in the offseason by signing former Los Angeles Chargers star Philip Rivers. That was a move Jacoby Brissett wasn’t expecting to happen.

In a conversation with reporters, Brissett stated he was ‘surprised’ head coach Frank Reich had called him to inform him the team was signing Rivers.

Entering the 2019 NFL season, the expectation wasn’t even that Brissett would start at quarterback for the Colts. It wasn’t until the surprise decision from Andrew Luck to announce his retirement in the preseason that Indianapolis had to adjust with Brissett in this role.

Brissett was an underwhelming quarterback during both the 2017 and 2019 seasons when he was a legitimate full-time starter. He plays with too conservative of an approach and that substantially lowers the ceiling of the output for the offense.

In 2017, the Colts’ offensive line was genuinely poor and resulted Brissett getting sacked a league-most 52 times. That provided justification for less than stellar production during his first full-season as an NFL starter. For reference, he completed 276-of-469 (58.8%) pass attempts for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

The receiving options the Colts had in its offense last season weren’t spectacular by any stretch, but the team had an elite offensive line. Brissett should have been lead them to more success than completing 272-of-447 (60.9%) pass attempts for 2,942 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 15 appearances.

The Colts signed Rivers to a one-year deal but the hope for both sides is that he will play two seasons in Indianapolis before he retires. It remains to be seen who will take over the team’s starting quarterback role after he retires.

Regardless, it’s difficult to believe anyone would be surprised to have learned the Indianapolis Colts signed Philip Rivers. It was arguably the worst kept secret in the league between the frequent mentions of it in the media, particularly during the NFL Scouting Combine.


Indiana Sports Coverage provides up to date information about the professional and collegiate teams in the market. Our coverage currently consists of the Colts and Pacers along with Butler, IU, Notre Dame, and Purdue. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook

About Grant Afseth 21 Articles
The founder of Indiana Sports Coverage currently serving as a senior editor for the platform. Grant is a columnist covering the Indiana Pacers for the Kokomo Tribune.

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