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A dream successfully fulfilled.

It’s always nice when an athlete can just… retire. Not taken out of the game for good by a debilitating injury or forcefully ejected by a controversy, but a nice, simple retirement. You played the game, you did a great job, you turned in a fantastic tenure, and now you get to walk out with your head held high (and hopefully uninjured). The latest feel-good retiree is none other than Philip Rivers.

Rivers, who spent the majority of his 17 years with the NFL as a part of the Los Angeles Chargers before joining the Indianapolis Colts last year, announced today that he is officially retiring from the NFL. While Rivers sadly never got to play in a Super Bowl, he is undoubtedly one of the game’s most well-regarded players, ranking fifth in the entire league with 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdown passes.

Breaking: Colts QB Philip Rivers is retiring from the NFL after 17 seasons, he told The San Diego Union Tribune. pic.twitter.com/gK1Mb0mYhL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 20, 2021

“Every year, January 20th is a special and emotional day,” Rivers said in his announcement. “It is St. Sebastian’s Feast day, the day I played in the AFC championship without an ACL, and now the day that after 17 seasons, I’m announcing my retirement from the National Football League. Thank you God for allowing me to live out my childhood dream of playing quarterback in the NFL.”

“Thank you to all my coaches that helped me grow as a player and person. Thanks to the support staff. I appreciate the opposing defenses making it challenging physically and mentally every week. … I also enjoyed the banter. I appreciate the referees for putting up with all my fussing. I think I was right most of the time dadgummit!

“Thanks to the fans in San Diego and around the nation that both cheered and booed. Special thanks to my teammates. Without a doubt my favorite part of the game, being a teammate. Thank you for being mine.

“Lastly, thank you to my wife and best friend Tiffany, and our children Halle, Caroline, Grace, Gunner, Sarah, Peter, Rebecca, Clare, and Anna. Could not have done it without y’all’s unwavering support.

“As my playing career comes to an end, the next chapter begins.”

The next chapter in question is a head coaching job over at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where Rivers will be coaching the school’s football team (which he hopes will include his sons).