The all-time player for Indianapolis colts has officially announced his retirement due to his wife.
Safety Khari Willis announced his retirement on Wednesday after three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
“I’d first like to thank the Indianapolis Colts organization for granting me the opportunity to compete in the National Football League for the past three years,” Willis wrote Wednesday while announcing his decision on Instagram.
INDIANAPOLIS — Philip Rivers has been living a lifelong ambition for the past 17 years. Now it’s time to follow in his father’s footsteps and coach high school football. Rivers, who recently completed his first season as the Indianapolis Colts quarterback after spending the first 16 years of his successful career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, announced his retirement from the NFL today.
Rivers also issued a statement on Wednesday morning. “Every year, January 20th is a memorable and emotional day. It is St. Sebastian’s Feast Day, the day I played in the AFC Championship without an ACL, and the day I announce my retirement from the National Football League after 17 seasons. Thank you, God, for allowing me to fulfill my childhood ambition of playing quarterback in the NFL.
I am grateful to the Chargers for 16 seasons and the Colts for the 17th season. Thank you to all of my coaches for helping me develop as a player and person. Thank you to the support crew. I enjoy how the opposition defenders make it physically and mentally demanding every week… I also liked the banter.
I admire the refs for putting up with all of my whining. I suppose I was correct most of the time, dadgummit! Thank you to the supporters in San Diego and across the country who both applauded and booed. Many thanks to my guys. Being a teammate is perhaps my favorite aspect of the game. Thank you for being mine. Finally, I’d like to thank my wife and closest friend Tiffany, as well as our children Halle, Caroline, Grace, Gunner, Sarah, Peter, Rebecca, Clara, and Anna. Couldn’t have done it without your unfailing support.
As my playing career draws to an end, a new chapter begins. “NUNC COEPI.” Rivers, 39, had a standout collegiate career at North Carolina State, where he started 51 consecutive games from 2000 to 2003 and broke several school and ACC records. He completed 1,087-of-1,710 pass attempts (63.6 percent) for 13,484 yards with 95 touchdowns and 34 interceptions, as well as 17 rushing touchdowns. Rivers was then a key player in the historic 2004 NFL Draft, in which the San Diego Chargers selected Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning with the first overall pick and the New York Giants selected Rivers fourth overall. But Manning had indicated he would refuse to play for the Chargers, thus San Diego and New York exchanged their round signal callers
