Former Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is one step closer to football immortality. On Tuesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their list of 26 semifinalists for the 2026 induction class. Safety Rodney Harrison and QB Drew Brees joined Rivers as former Chargers included in the list.
Rivers formally retired with the Chargers this past summer after waiting out some other opportunities to return to play. Given that his last season was with the Colts five years ago, the formal retirement started the clock on his Hall of Fame eligibility. 2026 will be the first time that the 8x Pro Bowler is on the ballot.
Chargers QB Philip Rivers deserves to be in the Hall of Fame eventually, whether it happens this year or in the future.
While it's good news for Rivers, the 17-year NFL vet still will face an uphill battle to get in on his first attempt. Two-time Super Bowl Champion Eli Manning did not have the votes to get in on his first ballot this past year. Given the lack of bona fide playoff success relative to some of the other first ballot HOF QBs, Rivers will likely have to wait. Former teammate Drew Brees will likely get in on his first ballot while Harrison is in his second decade of eligibility.
Rivers is seventh in NFL history with 63,440 passing yards despite not starting in his first two NFL seasons behind Brees. He led the league in touchdowns in 2008 while receiving a third-place MVP finish in 2009. Given that he played in the same conference as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for so long, Rivers doesn't necessarily have the accolades relative to the historic first ballot counterparts. But his longevity, passing stats, and consistent top-five presence for years amongst NFL QBs should be enough to eventually get him in.
Whether or not Eli Manning gets in this time could be a decent indicator for how long Rivers will have to wait to get in. Manning will be in his second year of eligibility in 2026.
Rivers now coaches the St. Michael Catholic High School football team. It may not be too long before we see his son Gunner Rivers make it to the NFL ranks.
Chargers fans will want Rivers to get in for obvious reasons. But he's a more than deserving candidate when looking at his consistency and passing production through the years. That honor probably won't come in 2026, but hopefully it happens sooner rather than later.