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INDIANAPOLIS – At long last, Philip Rivers and his family can call themselves Hoosiers.

The Indianapolis Colts’ new quarterback moved to Indiana with his wife and nine children last week and are already enjoying what the state has to offer.

“It’s been great,” said the 38-year-old NFL veteran. “Haven’t really moved in a long time. The last time we made a big cross-country move, it was just my wife and me and my oldest, which she was 2 years old. Quite a different move with 11 of us but the transition has been smooth.

“The people I’ve ran into so far around town have been very welcoming, and we’re excited to be here. I’m getting a feel for the weather, the summers. These summer nights have been beautiful and getting used to it getting dark after 9 o’clock. It’s been a little crazy. It’s been a good transition so far. Still getting settled in, but our whole family is happy to be here.”

And the Colts are happy to have him. He’s already had throwing sessions with the likes of Jack Doyle and Parris Campbell, something he thinks is key to success, but getting to know his new teammates is a bigger deal.

“It’s important to all our guys that we get together and get some work done, because we’ve got some great work done in the meetings,” said Rivers. “But certainly I haven’t met many of these guys in person much less thrown them a pass or had a person-to-person conversation. The few sessions we’ve had I really feel like we’ve gotten a lot out of these Zoom meetings.

“We start throwing, and it really doesn’t feel like the first time once we get out there because we really have been in some ways speaking the same language, depending on how long the player has been here, maybe years.”

Rivers also has grown thick skin, and although he hears some experts suggest he’s over the hill, he still wants to show last year’s problems are a thing of the past.

“I’m one of those guys that likes to be aware. I don’t go searching for stories and want to keep up with what everybody thinks, but at the same time I like to be in-tune with what’s going on. I don’t really try to hide from that. I’m not one of those that doesn’t turn on the TV or doesn’t look at anything during the season.

“I don’t feel like I have anything to prove, but I am excited to go have a better season and go play better and help this team win a bunch of games and obviously try to accomplish our goals.”

And those goals begin with winning the AFC South.

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