Did Philip Rivers just take a shot at Lou Anarumo after the Colts’ 49ers loss?

Philip Rivers did not ask the Indianapolis Colts to fire defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after the team’s 48-27 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 22. That claim spread anyway, helped along by an AI-generated fake “press conference” video.Rivers was mad after the loss. He also talked about offense and scoring. Some people tried to turn that into a direct attack on Anarumo. The full context does not back that up, and the viral “firing video” was not real.The rumor hinged on how Rivers framed the job after the Colts gave up 48 points. In a postgame setting, he talked about confidence in the offense to “move the ball,” and he said “our job is to score more points than the other team, whatever that may be.” That line got read by some as a not-so-subtle message aimed at the defense and, by extension, Anarumo.Triston Drew Cook, writing about the claim, said Rivers never actually called for Anarumo’s dismissal. Rivers’ clearest message, according to Cook’s write-up, was about the locker room and the losing streak, not about firing coaches:“I know this locker room is hurting again. I’ve been part of it for a short time, two losses, and I know it’s been a long slide now for over a month. I know that’s tough because I’ve been part of those slides. We’ve just got to find a way to dig deep and find a way to win a football game.”Then there’s the “proof” people passed around. Cook reported that a manufactured video from Dangerous AI circulated a fake press conference where Rivers appeared to demand Anarumo be fired and claimed the defense made Brock Purdy look like Tom Brady. Cook also noted Dangerous AI has posted other fake videos before, including one that depicted Travis Kelce announcing his retirement.Bottom line: Rivers sounded heated. He did not call for a coordinator to get fired. The loudest “evidence” floating around was fake.The Colts’ defense took the punch in this one, and The Associated Press laid it out bluntly: Indianapolis allowed 48 points, 440 yards, and did not force a punt. Colts coach Shane Steichen tried to keep the door open afterward, saying:“I told those guys in there, like, ‘Shoot, we signed up for 17 of these things, and we’ve got a division opponent, and we’re not out of this thing,'” Steichen said after the Colts lost their fifth straight. "Until they tell us we’re done, we’re freaking fighting like crazy, and so we’re going to come back in this week, get ready to work and be ready to go for Jacksonville at home.”AP also explained how thin the margin is now. The Colts (8-7) can still sneak in, but the path needs help. Indianapolis needs to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) and Houston (10-5). They also need Baltimore to lose one of its last two games, the Texans to lose Saturday against the Chargers, and for tiebreakers to break their way.The story around Rivers has its own pull, too. He put up 277 passing yards and two touchdowns against San Francisco, and AP noted he looked efficient for most of the night, even if his late interception went back for a score. The Colts have not won since Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, which pushed Rivers into action. AP also noted defenses have keyed in on running back Jonathan Taylor since the quarterback change.Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin added another angle when he talked about Rivers’ return and longevity, per Commanders Wire:“I thought that was extremely impressive,” McLaurin said. “I grew up watching Peyton Manning, so Philip Rivers broke my heart a few times. But now as an NFL player, I think it's really cool to see the longevity that he's had. To take five years off and come back and play at a high level is extremely impressive. And I think it speaks not only to his toughness, but his ability just to play the quarterback position. I believe if he was another 10 to 12 years from now, if he has the ability to the throw the football, he'd still be able to to at a high level. And I think that's something that he's reminding the importance of. It's great to have all the skillsets of an NFL player, especially a quarterback, but to be able to play your position, to be able to master your craft, be able to master what you're seeing out there on the football field, I think he's really putting a master class together of what it's like to play the quarterback position.”