A week ago, Philip Rivers was preparing for a potential Hall of Fame induction. But after multiple injuries to Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks, Rivers — after five years out of football — is making his shocking return to the NFL.

And he's not coming back to sit on the bench either. Rivers will go from off the couch straight into the starting lineup as the Colts fight for a playoff spot. Rivers, who was initially signed to the Colts' practice squad, was added to the team's 53-man roster Saturday, paving the way for the 44-year-old to start Sunday. 

While there have been older quarterbacks in the NFL, no quarterback this old has gone this long between two starts in the NFL, per Curt Menefee of "FOX NFL Sunday."

One of the quarterbacks who did starts NFL games at an older age than Rivers just so happened to make an in-studio appearance on "FOX NFL Sunday." That would be Tom Brady, who used a fun story to explain that the speed of the game could be the thing that surprises Rivers in his return. 

Terry Bradshaw echoed that sentiment, but said Rivers has the advantage of potentially playing in shotgun the whole game. He could essentially be set immediately and could throw some quick passes and use his intelligence to take advantage of zone defenses. Howie Long joked that the whole thing could be an insurance scam, as NFL players lose their insurance benefits five years after retiring. 

Given the circumstances, the odds appear stacked against Rivers. When he received a call about trying out for the Colts, the long-time NFL vet admitted he didn't even have turf shoes anymore. He had to dig into a trophy case at home to pull out a pair, according to Jay Glazer. 

So, why exactly did Rivers want to return after five years away? First off, he loves playing football and jumped at one more chance to do it. But Rivers — who got into coaching post-NFL career — also told Glazer it was an opportunity to teach his kids not to live afraid or in doubt.

Who knows, maybe Rivers comes out and proves almost everyone wrong. Despite the odds, at least one Hall of Famer believes Rivers can succeed after a long layoff. NFL Network's Kurt Warner boldly predicted 225 passing yards and two scores from Rivers in Week 15. 

Rivers' pedigree isn't in doubt. In his previous 17 seasons in the NFL, Rivers built a career worthy of Canton. When he left the game following the 2020 season, he had a 64.9 career completion percentage, 421 touchdowns and 209 interceptions. He still managed solid numbers in his final NFL season, throwing 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and leading the Colts to the playoffs. 

Whether any of that ability is still in Rivers after five years away will be discovered in Week 15. No one, not even the best analysts in the game, can accurately predict how it will go. 

No matter what happens in Week 15, Rivers' return is the type of thing typically seen in movies. The Colts are desperately hoping for a storybook ending.