Lou Anarumo has seen Philip Rivers from the other side.
Anarumo first made the jump to the NFL in 2012, giving him eight years to run into Rivers with the Chargers one with the Colts.
Now, the Indianapolis defensive coordinator, Anarumo faced off against Rivers as a defensive coordinator only once, leading Cincinnati’s defense into Lucas Oil to take on Rivers in the quarterback’s final season.
Rivers threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns, beating the Bengals 31-27 despite a running game that produced just 59 yards and a game plan that limited T.Y. Hilton to one catch for 11 yards.
When Anarumo met with the media for his weekly availability on Tuesday, the Colts hadn’t signed Rivers to the practice squad yet, but the veteran defensive coordinator had plenty of praise for the legendary quarterback.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s on the Hall of Fame ballot, is he not?” Anarumo said. “That says all you need to hear.”
Rivers hasn’t played since that 2020 season, making him eligible to be on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2025.
If he gets moved to the active roster, Rivers’ clock will reset, pushing off his Hall candidacy another five years.
But Indianapolis is in dire need of quarterback help after injuries to Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard, forcing the Colts to think outside the box, a trail that led them to sign Rivers. The news broke during offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter’s availability, a few minutes after Anarumo’s, and Cooter politely declined to answer a pair of questions about the passer.
Now 44, Rivers has not played in five seasons.
The player Anarumo remembers was a formidable test.
“A super, super competitive guy, can make all the throws,” Anarumo said. “He was more than a headache, I’ll tell you that.”
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Philip Rivers: Colts DC Lou Anarumo on QB: ‘He’s on the Hall of Fame ballot’
