The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1285691
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY TIM PEELER n many ways, we are living in the Golden Age of NC State professional athletics, a time when former Wolf- pack stars are excelling at the highest levels possible, even in the bubble and babble of the COVID-19 pan- demic and civil unrest. Indiana Pacers forward T.J. War- ren, who played this past season for former Wolfpack standout Nate McMillan as his head coach, was an NBA bubble buster. Early in the season, he joined David Thomp- son as the only former Wolfpack players to score 50 or more points in an NBA game. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson enters his ninth NFL season on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Going into what is sure to be an unusual season, Philip Rivers is starting his 17th year as a professional, but in a new uniform, which he will share with fellow Indianapo- lis Colts and former Wolfpackers Jacoby Brissett and Nyheim Hines. They were both toddlers when Rivers was setting passing re- cords and establishing his legacy at NC State, but all are enthused about the possibilities. (Just a reminder: The last time three NC State alumni were on the same NFL roster, Wilson, J.R. Sweezy and Stephen Hauschka helped the Seattle Seahawks go to back-to-back Su- per Bowls, winning it all in 2014.) After being inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame, wide receiver Torry Holt is wait- ing patiently for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Former Pack linebacker and I PRO PIPELINE Looking At The Best Professional Athletes From NC State In Each Major Team Sport NC State's claim to fame nowadays in professional sports is how many NFL quarterbacks it has been able to produce — a league-best five former signal-callers are in 2020 training camps, led by Philip Rivers (left) and Russell Wilson (right). PHOTO COURTESY SEATTLE SEAHAWKS