Philip Rivers Officially Retires from NFL as Member of Chargers in Video

Philip Rivers hasn't played in the NFL since the 2020 campaign, but he has never officially retired.

Until Monday.

The former quarterback announced in a social media post that he is officially calling it quits on his NFL career.

"I'm Philip Rivers, quarterback, and I'm retiring a Charger," he said while revealing that he is retiring as a member of the team he is most associated with even though he played his final season on the Indianapolis Colts.

This was a long time coming, as Chargers president of football operations John Spanos told the team's official website.

"He and I have had discussions over the last several years, ever since his first year when he wasn't playing," Spanos said. "We had a really good conversation and there was a lot of gratitude expressed back and forth, from me personally and on the team's behalf for everything he's meant to us and all our fans as well as from him for what the Chargers mean to him.

"He made it known back then he wanted to retire a Charger, and I obviously expressed that we would love that to happen as soon as he was ready. I think we both knew this day was coming for a few years now, but the key thing that I expressed to Philip was that I wanted the timing to be something he was good with. He had to be ready to close that door."

The video featured a number of Rivers' most notable moments from his Chargers career and the quarterback talking about his overall thought process.

It also included some of his former offensive linemen in Nick Hardwick, Kris Dielman, Marcus McNeill and Jeromey Clary surprising him and sharing the moment.

Rivers is the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, but he is best known for his time as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL during his 16 years with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers.

The No. 4 pick of the 2004 NFL draft became the full-time starter in his third season and wasted little time setting the tone while leading the Chargers to a 14-2 record as a Pro Bowler. It was his first of eight Pro Bowl selections during a career that also saw him make 224 consecutive starts and lead the franchise to four straight AFC West division titles in his first four seasons as starter.

Rivers led the league in passing touchdowns (34) in 2008 and passing yards (4,710) in 2010 and finished his time with the Chargers by completing 64.7 percent of his passes for 59,271 yards, 397 touchdowns and 198 interceptions.

Nobody in Chargers history has more passing yards, passing touchdowns or completions, and he defined an entire era for the franchise.

He is also likely on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is eighth in NFL history in completions, sixth in yards and sixth in passing touchdowns.