My thought is I hope he merely means he and Maria Hill have kept it afloat in the films since there's next to no chance- and for good reason- that anyone from the TV show will appear. Especially since, as of Winter Soldier, SHIELD itself seems like such an afterthought with all these bigger, cosmic threats.
But him saying things like 'Maybe,' 'Somehow,' and 'We'll see what happens' makes it sound more speculative than confirmed.