The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1343401
MARCH/APRIL 2021 ■ 29 College Accomplishments • 2000 ACC Football Rookie of the Year • 2003 ACC Football Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year • 2004 ACC Male Athlete of the Year (all sports) • Graduated owning nearly every significant passing record in school and ACC his- tory, including game, season and career marks for passing yards, total offense and touchdown passes • Four-time bowl MVP • No. 17 jersey was retired prior to final game • Elected to the NC State Athletics Hall of Fame (class of 2013), but deferred induc- tion until a later date when he could attend the ceremony All-Time NCAA Standings Current ACC Rank Current NCAA Rank Category Number (Rank At Graduation) (Rank At Graduation) Career Passing Yards 13,484 1st (1st) 14th (2nd) Career Passing TD 95 2nd (1st) t34th (t5th) Completions 1,087 1st (1st) t15th (2nd) Attempts 1,710 1st (1st) 13th (4th) TD Responsible For 113 4th (1st) t34th (4th) Total Yards 13,580 1st (1st) 16th (2nd) All numbers from sports-reference.com NFL Accomplishments • Eight Pro Bowl appearances (2006, 2009-11, 2013, 2016-18) • Eight appearances on the NFL Top 100 Players List (2011 — No. 12, 2014 — No. 19) • Two-time All-Pro (first team in 2009, Pro Football Focus; second team in 2013, Pro Football Focus) • 2013 NFL Comeback Player of the Year • NFL completion percentage leader (2013, 69.5) • NFL passing yards leader (2010, 4,710) • NFL passing touchdowns leader (2008, 34) • NFL passer rating leader (2008, 105.5) All-Time NFL Standings Category Number Rank Passing Yards 63,440 5th Passing TD 421 5th Completions 5,277 5th Attempts 8,134 6th Passer Rating 95.2 12th Completion Percentage 64.9 14th Passing Yards Per Game 260.0 14th Fourth-Quarter Comebacks 29 t-10th Game-Winning Drives 35 12th Games Started 240 18th Games Played 244 t-58th QB Regular-Season Wins* 134 8th * Statistics from footballdb.com; all other numbers from pro-football-reference.com Most NFL Starts By NC State Alumni (Regular Season And Playoffs) Rk. Player Pos. RS Playoffs Total NFL Seasons 1. Philip Rivers QB 240 12 252 17 2. Jim Ritcher C/G 167 13 180 16 3. Dewayne Washington DB 171 8 179 12 t4. Torry Holt WR 158 10 168 11 t4. Adrian Wilson DB 162 6 168 12 Note: Stephen Hauschka was the kicker in 179 NFL games, though he is not listed, per NFL guidelines, as one of 22 starters PHOTO BY MIKE PITTMAN The Philip Rivers File What They're Saying About Philip Rivers • "I'll always remember how much fun Rivers had playing football. We could see that in his trash talking, his competitiveness and his decision to seek out another year in Indianapolis after his time with the Chargers came to a natural end. He was the most emotive, expressive player of this generation — and it was awesome. "… The Hall of Fame is for the best players of the generation. Since he became a full-time starter in 2006, Rivers threw for more yards than every quarterback but Drew Brees. He tossed more touchdown passes, and his teams won more of his starts, than everyone except Brees and Tom Brady. Those numbers suggest a clear qualifier." — ESPN national NFL writer Kevin Seifert • "I was fortunate to be on the sideline for the 2007 AFC Championship Game while working with the Patriots. Rivers, who had just torn his ACL in the game be - fore, gutted through the game as if his knee were fully intact. Few players personi- fied toughness and competitiveness like Rivers, who was as gracious off the field in conversation as he was impressive on the field." — ESPN NFL analyst Field Yates • "Rivers was one of the league's best passers at his peak and that peak lasted for roughly a decade. … He might be lacking a Super Bowl ring, but he has led his team to nine winning seasons, has thrown for 4,000 yards 12 times and has 421 career passing touchdowns." — ESPN.com writer Mike Clay • "From 2008 to 2010, Rivers led the NFL in passer rating (103.8), yards per at - tempt (8.9) and yards per completion (13.2). That was ahead of future Hall of Fam- ers Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning." — San Diego Union-Tribune writer Kevin Acee