Colts Fans Should Be Mad if Team Commits to Philip Rivers at QB Beyond 2020

The Indianapolis Colts suddenly had to start over at quarterback last season when Andrew Luck announced his retirement. Jacoby Brissett stepped in, and the team finished with a disappointing record of 7-9.

A new one-year plan is now in place for 2020 now that the team signed Philip Rivers to a one-year, $25 million deal. The Colts also drafted Jacob Eason, so a succession plan appears to be in place. However, head coach Frank Reich indicated the plan may not be so simple.

Rivers coming back beyond 2020 is something that ought to alarm Colts fans. He is already 38 years old and is coming off a 5-11 season in which he threw 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions for the Chargers. It was his lowest touchdown total since 2007, and the third time in his career in which he threw at least 20 picks.

The whole point of the one-year deal was to get Rivers while he is still playing somewhat near his peak before his play has a chance to fall off a cliff, right? Last year was a bit concerning, as he may indeed be losing the sharpness needed to make split-second decisions at quarterback. He already has a new career lined up for after the NFL down in Alabama -- he knows his playing days are over soon.

The Colts had to start over after Peyton Manning, and were fortunate enough to have Andrew Luck land in their lap after a year of tanking. Luck is gone, so the team needs a new long-term plan --sticking with Rivers beyond 2020, especially if the team struggles, only delays the inevitable and holds the team back from starting anew once again.