Philip Rivers had just pulled off the unthinkable, making an audacious NFL comeback that never had been attempted.

But in the aftermath of the Indianapolis Colts' 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Rivers -- the 44-year-old quarterback who returned to the field five years after retirement -- remained just as competitive as he was during any of his 17 previous seasons.

"I'm grateful that I was out there, and it was a blast," Rivers said. "But, obviously, the emotions now are disappointment. This isn't about me. We've got a team that was scrapping like crazy to try to stay alive and get in the postseason, so obviously, we're all disappointed.

"We came up just short."