The Indianapolis Colts aren’t the first team to approach Philip Rivers about ending his retirement.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan recalled San Francisco’s meeting with Rivers during the 2022 NFL season -- and a hunch he had about then-rookie Brock Purdy.

“We talked to Philip as soon as Jimmy [Garoppolo] broke his foot [in Week 13 of 2022] and talked about the possibility of him coming in,” Shanahan said. “I remember telling him that we felt really good about this rookie that we had.”

At the time, the 49ers’ quarterback situation was dire. Trey Lance, the team’s Week 1 starter, played just two games before suffering a fractured ankle. Garoppolo’s season met a similar fate in December.

“We were having to sign other guys from other teams to even have

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