Philip Rivers
Encyclopedia
Philip Rivers is an American football
quarterback
for the San Diego Chargers
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning
, to the New York Giants
. Rivers played college football
at North Carolina State University
. Rivers' career passer rating
of 95.9 is third-best all-time among NFL quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempts, behind Aaron Rodgers
and Steve Young
.
After starting Chargers quarterback Drew Brees
went to the New Orleans Saints
following the 2005 season, Rivers came off the bench to lead the Chargers to a 14-2 record in his first season as a starter. In 2007, he helped the Chargers win their first playoff game since 1994 after beating the Tennessee Titans
in the wildcard round of the 2007 playoffs and eventually leading them to the AFC Championship game
. He has a career total of 13 fourth quarter comebacks, his most recent being on September 11, 2011, when he led the Chargers to a 24-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings
.
Early life
Rivers was born in Decatur, Alabama, where his father Steve was the head coach of Decatur High. Philip went to Decatur then moved to Athens. As part of a fifth-grade project, he had to make a poster about his dreams and aspirations. On the poster, he pasted his face over that of a Minnesota Vikings
player who had appeared on a cover of Sports Illustrated. He has worn the number 17 since ninth grade; it is in honor of his father, who wore the same number in high school. After his dad, Steve, got the head coaching job, Philip played high school football at Athens High School in nearby Athens, Alabama
.
College career
After high school, Rivers attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina
, where he played for coach Chuck Amato
. During his collegiate career, Rivers shattered almost every NC State and Atlantic Coast Conference
passing record. His career culminated with an NCAA record 51st consecutive college start. The Wolfpack went to four consecutive bowl games under the leadership of Rivers, winning three of them, including a New Year's Day victory over Notre Dame
in the 2003 Gator Bowl
.
Rivers was named ACC Athlete of the Year
in 2004 and was also named the game MVP of four bowl games, two Tangerine Bowl
s, a Gator Bowl
and the 2004 Senior Bowl
. Rivers was even named the "Offensive MVP" for NC State in a losing cause to Pittsburgh in 2001's Tangerine Bowl
. He was considered a Heisman candidate by some journalists, but he was not invited to the Heisman Trophy
presentation. Rivers finished his career with 13,484 passing yards, 4th all-time among Division 1-A quarterbacks (he was 2nd at the end of his collegiate career). He also threw 95 touchdown passes, which ties him for eighth all-time with Kliff Kingsbury
and Brady Quinn
. Rivers' number was retired before his final home game at North Carolina State.
. But despite Rivers' record of success in college and remarkable accuracy (72% completion percentage for his senior season), questions about his lack of arm strength and his unorthodox side-arm throwing motion were concerns for some NFL GMs. The pre-draft consensus was that Rivers could be selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers
with the 11th pick. The Chargers coveted Eli Manning
and wanted to select him with their first round pick, which was also the first overall pick of the draft. However, after Eli Manning indicated before the draft that he would not sign with the San Diego Chargers
, the Chargers were forced to adjust their plans. Rivers was their first alternative to Manning because the Chargers head coach at the time, Marty Schottenheimer
, had coached Rivers at the Senior Bowl
and he liked what he saw from Rivers. The Chargers agreed to a trade on draft day with the New York Giants
, who possessed the fourth pick of the draft. Manning was selected by the San Diego Chargers then later in the draft traded to the New York Giants for Rivers and the rights to draft picks used to select future Pro Bowl
ers Shawne Merriman
and Nate Kaeding
.
, Eli Manning
, and J.P. Losman
. Rivers, Roethlisberger, and Manning have been voted to the Pro Bowl since becoming starters, none have produced a season with a losing record (although each has had an 8-8 season), and Roethlisberger has won two and Manning one Super Bowl. They have been compared favorably to the Quarterback class of 1983, which included Hall of Fame quarterbacks John Elway
(1st pick), Jim Kelly
(14th), and Dan Marino
(27th).
that included $14.5 million in signing bonuses. However, due to a protracted contract negotiation with the San Diego Chargers, Rivers only reported to the team during the last week of training camp. As a result, the Chargers gave incumbent quarterback Drew Brees
the opportunity to retain his starting job at the beginning of the season. With almost no training camp time under his belt, Rivers was unable to wrestle the starting position from Drew Brees
during the 2004 preseason. Rivers began the season as the Chargers' third QB option, behind Doug Flutie
, but ahead of the #4 QB Cleo Lemon
. Unfortunately for Rivers, Brees went on to have by far the best season of his career up to that point. By the end of the season, Drew Brees was named to the NFL Pro Bowl and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
. Rivers received very limited playing time in the 2004 season, playing in only two games. He only threw passes in the second half of the last game of the 2004 season (a win over Kansas City), by which time the Chargers had already clinched a home playoff spot and the AFC West division title.
.
Rivers was unable to beat out Drew Brees for the starting quarterback job in the Chargers' 2005 training camp and preseason. In the Chargers' final game of the 2005 season, at home in Qualcomm Stadium
, Rivers entered the game after Brees dislocated his right shoulder late in the second quarter due to a hit from Denver Broncos
safety John Lynch
. Rivers completed 12 of 22 passing attempts for 115 yards with one interception and two fumbles. The Chargers lost to Denver, 20–7. However, Rivers led the Chargers on their only scoring drive that game, which culminated in a 4-yard TD run by RB LaDainian Tomlinson
.
After the 2005 season, Drew Brees
was not re-signed (partly due to the injury suffered in the Denver game) by the Chargers, instead signing a large contract that included sizeable guaranteed money with the New Orleans Saints
during the 2006 free agency period. Many doubted the Chargers' decision to change quarterbacks as they were a Super Bowl
contender, believing that Rivers' inexperience would hinder them. Rivers was named the Chargers' starter going into training camp. Expectations were high for Rivers due to the large amount of talent on the San Diego Chargers' offense and the performance of his peers from the 2004 draft (Eli Manning
and Ben Roethlisberger
) as starters.
Football Outsiders
projected that Rivers would become an NFL star before the 2006 season due to his spectacular completion percentage in college (72% as a senior). After just 5 NFL starts, Rivers was named the second best NFL quarterback under 25 years of age by Sports Illustrated
and drew numerous comparisons to Dan Marino
for his quick release and pocket presence.
On September 11, 2006, Rivers made his NFL start against the Oakland Raiders. Rivers managed the game well despite only passing 11 times, but completed 8 passes, one for a touchdown, in a 27–0 rout of the Raiders. After his first game, Rivers led the NFL in QB rating with 133.9.
The fifth week of the season, the reigning Super Bowl
-champion Pittsburgh Steelers
came to town, and Bill Cowher
's defensive game plan revolved around stopping LaDainian Tomlinson
. This game marked a turning point for Rivers, who aided by head coach Marty Schottenheimer
's opening of the playbook, led the team in a come-from-behind victory throwing 24-of-37 for 242 yards and two TDs, winning 23–13.
On November 12, 2006, Rivers had the best game of his short career and led the San Diego Chargers to an improbable comeback against the Cincinnati Bengals. Down 28–7 at halftime, Rivers led the Chargers on six drives culminating in touchdowns. After driving in for the Chargers first touchdown after halftime, Nick Hardwick, Rivers' center
, reminisced about Rivers, mimicking his southern drawl, "He's yelling 'Y'all don't think we're out of this' to the Bengals. When he said that, I said, 'Shoot, I guess we ain't out of this. Right on.'" Rivers threw for 337 yards and three touchdown passes, while LaDainian Tomlinson scored three of their four rushing touchdowns. San Diego outscored Cincinnati 42–13 in the second half winning the game 49–41, matching the biggest comeback in 23 years for the Chargers.
Then following week against what was considered at the time to be a strong Denver Broncos defense, the Chargers became the first team in history to win back-to-back games after trailing by 17 or more points and also the first team to win four straight when allowing at least 27 points in each game. Rivers led several 4th quarter comebacks in 2006, and posted the league's highest 4th quarter quarterback rating. His performance over the season led to a selection to the 2007 Pro Bowl
. After a 14–2 season the Chargers were set to play the New England Patriots
in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Patriots won that game, and Schottenheimer lost his job. The Patriots went on to the AFC Championship where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts 38-34.
took over as the head coach of the Chargers in 2007. After a 1–3 start, the Chargers found their groove, finishing 11–5 and winning the AFC West
for the second straight year. The Chargers also won their first two playoff games since the 1994 season, beating the Tennessee Titans
and the Indianapolis Colts
before falling to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game
21–12.
In the 2007 AFC Championship Game, Rivers' was lauded by his teammates and the press for playing the entire game with a torn anterior cruciate ligament
, which later required surgery and was ranked among the NFL Top 10 Gutsiest Performances
. Chris Harry of the Orlando Sentinel
said "I don't think anyone will ever accuse Philip Rivers of being soft." Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune said, "To go out there and put his knee, and ultimately his career, on the line. It has to go down as one of the gutsiest performances."
, who had 33 in 1981. After a 4–8 start, Rivers threw 11 touchdown passes and only 1 interception to win the final four games of the season, winning the AFC West division against the Denver Broncos
with the score 52–21 leading them to the playoff against the Colts. Despite having good stats in 2008 Rivers was only able to lead his team to an 8-8 record and they were able to win the division over Denver by a tie-breaker. On January 3, 2009, the San Diego Chargers defeated the Indianapolis Colts
23–17 to advance to the AFC Divisional Playoff. Rivers led the Chargers down the field down 3 points with under 2 minutes left. He set up Nate Kaeding for a game-tying field goal that would lead to overtime, where the Chargers would go on to win 23–17, thanks to a Darren Sproles touchdown.
In the divisional round versus the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Rivers played well throwing for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns but was sacked 4 times and threw an interception. Despite his efforts, the team fell short and lost to the Steelers 35–24. They possessed the ball for only 17 seconds during the third quarter and had only 15 yards rushing.
Rivers was voted into his second career Pro Bowl
on December 29. He ended the season with a passer rating of 104.4, the third highest in the entire NFL, after passing for 4,254 yards, 28 TD's with only 9 interceptions. For the second consecutive year, he led the NFL in yards per attempt (8.8) and adjusted yards per attempt (9.1). He led the Chargers to the second seed in the AFC
with a 13-3 record, tied for second best in the NFL. In the divisional round of the playoffs, Rivers was 27-40 for 298 yards while rushing and throwing for a touchdown and was intercepted twice. The Chargers lost 17-14 to the New York Jets
, who moved on to play the Indianapolis Colts
in the AFC Championship, which they lost 30-17.
. The Chargers started off the year slowly again at 3–5 and finished a disappointing 9-7 and their four-year reign as AFC West champions ended while they missed the playoffs. Rivers' top wide receiver, Vincent Jackson
, did not make a catch until the Chargers' 13th game of this season after a suspension due to a contract dispute with the team. In week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks
Rivers threw for 455 yards and 2 TD's in a losing effort 20-27. These 455 yards broke the San Diego Chargers
single-game record for most passing yardage, previously held by Dan Fouts
, who had 444 in 1982. Rivers went over 400 yards and threw 2 touchdowns, but lost to the Oakland Raiders in week 5.
In Week 8, Rivers threw for 305 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 33-25 win against the Tennessee Titans
, extending his active player-leading streak to 21 games with a TD thrown and giving him the record for most passing yards (2,649) ever after 8 games, passing Dan Fouts'
previous record (2,580). Rivers threw for 4 touchdowns, two to backup tight end Randy McMichael
and the other two to rookie receiver Seyi Ajirotutu
in a comeback 29-23 victory over the Houston Texans
. The Chargers' top receivers Gates (torn plantar fascia), Vincent Jackson
(suspended), Malcom Floyd
(hamstring), and Legedu Naanee
(hamstring) did not play in the game.
Rivers lost his first ever game in December, a 13-28 loss at home against the Oakland Raiders
. Rivers was invited to the 2011 Pro Bowl
, his fourth invite overall, and started in place of an injured Tom Brady
. It was the first time he played in a Pro Bowl, twice missing previous games due to injury and once for the birth of his child in the 2010 Pro Bowl
. Rivers was named the quarterback in the 2010 NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards
over Brady, the unanimous selection for The Associated Press 2010 Most Valuable Player Award.
, Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune called Rivers a "better quarterback" than Fouts, a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. Canepa cited Rivers "[completing] passes to an astounding 17 different receivers" in 2010, amid the injuries to Chargers receivers, and his then 55–25 record as a starter compared to 86–84–1 for Fouts. He also noted, "Fouts made more mistakes than Rivers." Rivers had completed 63.7 percent of his 2,455 passes with 58 interceptions and a 97.2 passer rating, while Fouts was successful on 58.8 percent of his 5,604 attempts with 242 interceptions and an 80.2 rating. Rivers had never thrown more than two interceptions in a game, including seven playoff games.
Rivers and the Chargers started out the season with a 24-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings
. Rivers had 335 passing yards and two touchdowns thrown to running back Mike Tolbert
. He also had two interceptions. Rivers and the Chargers lost 35-21 in Foxboro to the New England Patriots
in Week 2. Rivers threw for 378 passing yards and had two touchdown passes to Vincent Jackson
but also threw two interceptions again.
Rivers threw two more interceptions as the Chargers held off the winless Kansas City Chiefs
in Week 3, 20-17. In Week 4, the Chargers beat the winless Miami Dolphins
26-16, and Rivers threw a 55-yard touchdown to Vincent Jackson
.
In Week 5, Rivers threw for 250 yards and a touchdown pass to Malcom Floyd
. He added a rushing touchdown as well. Despite two turnovers by him, the Chargers held off the pesky Denver Broncos 29-24.
Rivers struggled in Week 7 after the bye. Rex Ryan
's New York Jets
limited Rivers to 179 passing yards and 2 interceptions. He did throw a touchdown to Antonio Gates
, his first of the year. .
The Chargers lost a heartbreaker, 23-20 to the Chiefs in overtime on Halloween
. Rivers put up 369 yards, but had 2 interceptions and a crushing fumble.
Rivers' poor performance during the 2011 season has led to media speculation that he may be suffering from an undisclosed injury. His former teammate, LaDainian Tomlinson, speculated that Rivers might be distracted by the burden of being the Chargers' star player.
Rivers had a whopping 385 yards passing and added 4 touchdowns, but threw 3 crushing interceptions against the defending champion Green Bay Packers
.
Rivers threw for 274 passing yards and an interception and a fumble in a 24-17 Week 10 against the Oakland Raiders
. He did however, throw 2 touchdowns to rookie Vincent Brown
.
Rivers threw for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 31-20 loss to the Chicago Bears
. He added 2 more interceptions thrown. The touchdown passes went to Antonio Gates
and Vincent Jackson
.
The Chargers lost a heartbreaker, 16-13 in overtime to Tim Tebow
and the Denver Broncos
. Rivers threw for 188 yards and a touchdown to Antonio Gates
.
Personal life
Philip Rivers married his junior high school sweetheart, Tiffany, in 2001. They have four daughters and two sons, and reside in Santaluz, California. On January 31, 2010, Rivers' youngest daughter Sarah Catherine was born. He had been selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team the same year but did not make it to the game in South Florida due to her birth. In an interview with NFL Network on the 10th June 2011 Rivers stated the family was expecting their sixth child. On October 11th 2011, Rivers and his family welcomed their new son Peter into the world.
Rivers is an active Catholic
and does a great deal of work in speaking with youth about spirituality. He states that, "I feel fortunate that I have the physical and mental tools to play the game... In turn I would like to use the popularity I have and have been given for the glory of God, to share with young people about how to be a better person - how to do things the right way." Rivers encourages youth to look to spirituality to understand that sexual intimacy should be reserved for marriage.
Rivers is a good friend of Chicago White Sox
' pitcher Jake Peavy
, who is also from Alabama
and played for the San Diego Padres
from 2002 to 2009.
Rivers' younger brother, Stephen, committed to play college football Louisiana State University (LSU)
after attending Austin High School
and Athens High School.
See also
External links
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
, to the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Rivers played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. Rivers' career passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 95.9 is third-best all-time among NFL quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempts, behind Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers...
and Steve Young
Steve Young
Steve Young is an American football quarterback.Steve Young may also refer to:*Steve Young , country music singer, songwriter and guitarist*Steve Young , industrial rock music songwriter and guitarist...
.
After starting Chargers quarterback Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
went to the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
following the 2005 season, Rivers came off the bench to lead the Chargers to a 14-2 record in his first season as a starter. In 2007, he helped the Chargers win their first playoff game since 1994 after beating the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in the wildcard round of the 2007 playoffs and eventually leading them to the AFC Championship game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
. He has a career total of 13 fourth quarter comebacks, his most recent being on September 11, 2011, when he led the Chargers to a 24-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.
Early life
Rivers was born in Decatur, Alabama, where his father Steve was the head coach of Decatur High. Philip went to Decatur then moved to Athens. As part of a fifth-grade project, he had to make a poster about his dreams and aspirations. On the poster, he pasted his face over that of a Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
player who had appeared on a cover of Sports Illustrated. He has worn the number 17 since ninth grade; it is in honor of his father, who wore the same number in high school. After his dad, Steve, got the head coaching job, Philip played high school football at Athens High School in nearby Athens, Alabama
Athens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
.
College career
After high school, Rivers attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, where he played for coach Chuck Amato
Chuck Amato
-External links:...
. During his collegiate career, Rivers shattered almost every NC State and Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
passing record. His career culminated with an NCAA record 51st consecutive college start. The Wolfpack went to four consecutive bowl games under the leadership of Rivers, winning three of them, including a New Year's Day victory over Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in the 2003 Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
.
Rivers was named ACC Athlete of the Year
ACC Athlete of the Year
The Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year award is given to the male and female athlete who show extraordinary talent throughout the entire season. The award is decided by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association....
in 2004 and was also named the game MVP of four bowl games, two Tangerine Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
s, a Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
and the 2004 Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
. Rivers was even named the "Offensive MVP" for NC State in a losing cause to Pittsburgh in 2001's Tangerine Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
. He was considered a Heisman candidate by some journalists, but he was not invited to the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
presentation. Rivers finished his career with 13,484 passing yards, 4th all-time among Division 1-A quarterbacks (he was 2nd at the end of his collegiate career). He also threw 95 touchdown passes, which ties him for eighth all-time with Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury
Klifford "Kliff" Kingsbury is an American Football Coach, serving as the current co-offensive coordinator for the University of Houston Cougar football team. Prior to his current role, Kingsbury was a Quarterback in the NFL and NFL Europe, winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in a...
and Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
. Rivers' number was retired before his final home game at North Carolina State.
2004 NFL Draft
Rivers was projected to be an early first-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. But despite Rivers' record of success in college and remarkable accuracy (72% completion percentage for his senior season), questions about his lack of arm strength and his unorthodox side-arm throwing motion were concerns for some NFL GMs. The pre-draft consensus was that Rivers could be selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
with the 11th pick. The Chargers coveted Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
and wanted to select him with their first round pick, which was also the first overall pick of the draft. However, after Eli Manning indicated before the draft that he would not sign with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the Chargers were forced to adjust their plans. Rivers was their first alternative to Manning because the Chargers head coach at the time, Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
, had coached Rivers at the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
and he liked what he saw from Rivers. The Chargers agreed to a trade on draft day with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who possessed the fourth pick of the draft. Manning was selected by the San Diego Chargers then later in the draft traded to the New York Giants for Rivers and the rights to draft picks used to select future Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
ers Shawne Merriman
Shawne Merriman
Shawne DeAndre Merriman is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted 12th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL Draft. On November 2, 2010, the Chargers waived Merriman...
and Nate Kaeding
Nate Kaeding
Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa...
.
Quarterback class of 2004
Rivers was one of four quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft along with Ben RoethlisbergerBen Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
, Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
, and J.P. Losman
J.P. Losman
Jonathan Paul "J. P." Losman is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 22nd overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
. Rivers, Roethlisberger, and Manning have been voted to the Pro Bowl since becoming starters, none have produced a season with a losing record (although each has had an 8-8 season), and Roethlisberger has won two and Manning one Super Bowl. They have been compared favorably to the Quarterback class of 1983, which included Hall of Fame quarterbacks John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
(1st pick), Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
(14th), and Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
(27th).
2004
In August 2004, Rivers signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract with the San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
that included $14.5 million in signing bonuses. However, due to a protracted contract negotiation with the San Diego Chargers, Rivers only reported to the team during the last week of training camp. As a result, the Chargers gave incumbent quarterback Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
the opportunity to retain his starting job at the beginning of the season. With almost no training camp time under his belt, Rivers was unable to wrestle the starting position from Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
during the 2004 preseason. Rivers began the season as the Chargers' third QB option, behind Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
, but ahead of the #4 QB Cleo Lemon
Cleo Lemon
Cleo "Cleonardo" Lemon, Jr. is a Canadian football quarterback in the Canadian Football League who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. Unfortunately for Rivers, Brees went on to have by far the best season of his career up to that point. By the end of the season, Drew Brees was named to the NFL Pro Bowl and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor...
. Rivers received very limited playing time in the 2004 season, playing in only two games. He only threw passes in the second half of the last game of the 2004 season (a win over Kansas City), by which time the Chargers had already clinched a home playoff spot and the AFC West division title.
2005
Rivers was promoted to the #2 on the quarterback depth chart after the Chargers released Doug Flutie, who later signed with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Rivers was unable to beat out Drew Brees for the starting quarterback job in the Chargers' 2005 training camp and preseason. In the Chargers' final game of the 2005 season, at home in Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
, Rivers entered the game after Brees dislocated his right shoulder late in the second quarter due to a hit from Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
safety John Lynch
John Lynch (American football)
John Terrence Lynch, Jr. is a former National Football League strong safety and current NFL on Fox color commentator. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford.A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super...
. Rivers completed 12 of 22 passing attempts for 115 yards with one interception and two fumbles. The Chargers lost to Denver, 20–7. However, Rivers led the Chargers on their only scoring drive that game, which culminated in a 4-yard TD run by RB LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
.
2006
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
was not re-signed (partly due to the injury suffered in the Denver game) by the Chargers, instead signing a large contract that included sizeable guaranteed money with the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
during the 2006 free agency period. Many doubted the Chargers' decision to change quarterbacks as they were a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
contender, believing that Rivers' inexperience would hinder them. Rivers was named the Chargers' starter going into training camp. Expectations were high for Rivers due to the large amount of talent on the San Diego Chargers' offense and the performance of his peers from the 2004 draft (Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
and Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
) as starters.
Football Outsiders
Football Outsiders
Football Outsiders is a website started in July 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics and their personal analyses of NFL games.In 2005 and 2006,...
projected that Rivers would become an NFL star before the 2006 season due to his spectacular completion percentage in college (72% as a senior). After just 5 NFL starts, Rivers was named the second best NFL quarterback under 25 years of age by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and drew numerous comparisons to Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
for his quick release and pocket presence.
On September 11, 2006, Rivers made his NFL start against the Oakland Raiders. Rivers managed the game well despite only passing 11 times, but completed 8 passes, one for a touchdown, in a 27–0 rout of the Raiders. After his first game, Rivers led the NFL in QB rating with 133.9.
The fifth week of the season, the reigning Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
-champion Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
came to town, and Bill Cowher
Bill Cowher
William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
's defensive game plan revolved around stopping LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
. This game marked a turning point for Rivers, who aided by head coach Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
's opening of the playbook, led the team in a come-from-behind victory throwing 24-of-37 for 242 yards and two TDs, winning 23–13.
On November 12, 2006, Rivers had the best game of his short career and led the San Diego Chargers to an improbable comeback against the Cincinnati Bengals. Down 28–7 at halftime, Rivers led the Chargers on six drives culminating in touchdowns. After driving in for the Chargers first touchdown after halftime, Nick Hardwick, Rivers' center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, reminisced about Rivers, mimicking his southern drawl, "He's yelling 'Y'all don't think we're out of this' to the Bengals. When he said that, I said, 'Shoot, I guess we ain't out of this. Right on.'" Rivers threw for 337 yards and three touchdown passes, while LaDainian Tomlinson scored three of their four rushing touchdowns. San Diego outscored Cincinnati 42–13 in the second half winning the game 49–41, matching the biggest comeback in 23 years for the Chargers.
Then following week against what was considered at the time to be a strong Denver Broncos defense, the Chargers became the first team in history to win back-to-back games after trailing by 17 or more points and also the first team to win four straight when allowing at least 27 points in each game. Rivers led several 4th quarter comebacks in 2006, and posted the league's highest 4th quarter quarterback rating. His performance over the season led to a selection to the 2007 Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
. After a 14–2 season the Chargers were set to play the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Patriots won that game, and Schottenheimer lost his job. The Patriots went on to the AFC Championship where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts 38-34.
2007
Norv TurnerNorv Turner
Norval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
took over as the head coach of the Chargers in 2007. After a 1–3 start, the Chargers found their groove, finishing 11–5 and winning the AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
for the second straight year. The Chargers also won their first two playoff games since the 1994 season, beating the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
and the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
before falling to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
21–12.
In the 2007 AFC Championship Game, Rivers' was lauded by his teammates and the press for playing the entire game with a torn anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
, which later required surgery and was ranked among the NFL Top 10 Gutsiest Performances
NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10 is a documentary program produced by NFL Films for airing on the NFL Network. The host and narrator is Derrin Horton.The program counts down 10 items directly related to the players, coaches, and events of the National Football League, with former players, NFL Network personalities, and...
. Chris Harry of the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
said "I don't think anyone will ever accuse Philip Rivers of being soft." Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune said, "To go out there and put his knee, and ultimately his career, on the line. It has to go down as one of the gutsiest performances."
2008
In 2008, Rivers led the NFL in multiple categories including touchdown passes (34), passer rating (105.5), and yards per pass attempt (8.4), and adjusted yards per attempt (8.8). On December 28, 2008, Rivers set the Chargers team record for touchdown passes in a season with 34, a record previously held by Dan FoutsDan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
, who had 33 in 1981. After a 4–8 start, Rivers threw 11 touchdown passes and only 1 interception to win the final four games of the season, winning the AFC West division against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the score 52–21 leading them to the playoff against the Colts. Despite having good stats in 2008 Rivers was only able to lead his team to an 8-8 record and they were able to win the division over Denver by a tie-breaker. On January 3, 2009, the San Diego Chargers defeated the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
23–17 to advance to the AFC Divisional Playoff. Rivers led the Chargers down the field down 3 points with under 2 minutes left. He set up Nate Kaeding for a game-tying field goal that would lead to overtime, where the Chargers would go on to win 23–17, thanks to a Darren Sproles touchdown.
In the divisional round versus the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Rivers played well throwing for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns but was sacked 4 times and threw an interception. Despite his efforts, the team fell short and lost to the Steelers 35–24. They possessed the ball for only 17 seconds during the third quarter and had only 15 yards rushing.
2009
On August 24, Rivers signed a 6-year,a $92 million dollar contract extension with the Chargers, with approximately $38 million guaranteed.Rivers was voted into his second career Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
on December 29. He ended the season with a passer rating of 104.4, the third highest in the entire NFL, after passing for 4,254 yards, 28 TD's with only 9 interceptions. For the second consecutive year, he led the NFL in yards per attempt (8.8) and adjusted yards per attempt (9.1). He led the Chargers to the second seed in the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
with a 13-3 record, tied for second best in the NFL. In the divisional round of the playoffs, Rivers was 27-40 for 298 yards while rushing and throwing for a touchdown and was intercepted twice. The Chargers lost 17-14 to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who moved on to play the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in the AFC Championship, which they lost 30-17.
2010
Rivers led the league in passing yards, throwing for a career high 4,710 yards - 10 yards more than second-place finisher, Peyton ManningPeyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
. The Chargers started off the year slowly again at 3–5 and finished a disappointing 9-7 and their four-year reign as AFC West champions ended while they missed the playoffs. Rivers' top wide receiver, Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
, did not make a catch until the Chargers' 13th game of this season after a suspension due to a contract dispute with the team. In week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
Rivers threw for 455 yards and 2 TD's in a losing effort 20-27. These 455 yards broke the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
single-game record for most passing yardage, previously held by Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
, who had 444 in 1982. Rivers went over 400 yards and threw 2 touchdowns, but lost to the Oakland Raiders in week 5.
In Week 8, Rivers threw for 305 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 33-25 win against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, extending his active player-leading streak to 21 games with a TD thrown and giving him the record for most passing yards (2,649) ever after 8 games, passing Dan Fouts'
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
previous record (2,580). Rivers threw for 4 touchdowns, two to backup tight end Randy McMichael
Randy McMichael
-Miami Dolphins:McMichael was selected in the fourth round in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. The pick used by Dolphins to select him was originally acquired from the New Orleans Saints in the deal that sent running back Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins.McMichael made his NFL debut...
and the other two to rookie receiver Seyi Ajirotutu
Seyi Ajirotutu
Seyi Ajirotutu is an American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
in a comeback 29-23 victory over the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Chargers' top receivers Gates (torn plantar fascia), Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
(suspended), Malcom Floyd
Malcom Floyd
Malcom Floyd is an American football wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Wyoming...
(hamstring), and Legedu Naanee
Legedu Naanee
Legedu A. Naanee is an American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
(hamstring) did not play in the game.
Rivers lost his first ever game in December, a 13-28 loss at home against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Rivers was invited to the 2011 Pro Bowl
2011 Pro Bowl
The 2011 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2010 season. It took place at 7:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii...
, his fourth invite overall, and started in place of an injured Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
. It was the first time he played in a Pro Bowl, twice missing previous games due to injury and once for the birth of his child in the 2010 Pro Bowl
2010 Pro Bowl
The 2010 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV...
. Rivers was named the quarterback in the 2010 NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards
National Football League Alumni
The NFL Alumni is a 501 charity that is composed of former NFL players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth." The NFL Alumni advances its motto...
over Brady, the unanimous selection for The Associated Press 2010 Most Valuable Player Award.
2011
Entering the 2011 season2011 San Diego Chargers season
The 2011 San Diego Chargers season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The team hopes to improve on its 9–7 record from 2010, in which the team missed the playoffs. For Norv Turner, this will be his fifth season as the head coach of the...
, Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune called Rivers a "better quarterback" than Fouts, a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. Canepa cited Rivers "[completing] passes to an astounding 17 different receivers" in 2010, amid the injuries to Chargers receivers, and his then 55–25 record as a starter compared to 86–84–1 for Fouts. He also noted, "Fouts made more mistakes than Rivers." Rivers had completed 63.7 percent of his 2,455 passes with 58 interceptions and a 97.2 passer rating, while Fouts was successful on 58.8 percent of his 5,604 attempts with 242 interceptions and an 80.2 rating. Rivers had never thrown more than two interceptions in a game, including seven playoff games.
Rivers and the Chargers started out the season with a 24-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. Rivers had 335 passing yards and two touchdowns thrown to running back Mike Tolbert
Mike Tolbert
Mike Tolbert is an American football Running Back for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
. He also had two interceptions. Rivers and the Chargers lost 35-21 in Foxboro to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in Week 2. Rivers threw for 378 passing yards and had two touchdown passes to Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
but also threw two interceptions again.
Rivers threw two more interceptions as the Chargers held off the winless Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in Week 3, 20-17. In Week 4, the Chargers beat the winless Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
26-16, and Rivers threw a 55-yard touchdown to Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
.
In Week 5, Rivers threw for 250 yards and a touchdown pass to Malcom Floyd
Malcom Floyd
Malcom Floyd is an American football wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Wyoming...
. He added a rushing touchdown as well. Despite two turnovers by him, the Chargers held off the pesky Denver Broncos 29-24.
Rivers struggled in Week 7 after the bye. Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
's New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
limited Rivers to 179 passing yards and 2 interceptions. He did throw a touchdown to Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after playing college basketball at Kent State University...
, his first of the year. .
The Chargers lost a heartbreaker, 23-20 to the Chiefs in overtime on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. Rivers put up 369 yards, but had 2 interceptions and a crushing fumble.
Rivers' poor performance during the 2011 season has led to media speculation that he may be suffering from an undisclosed injury. His former teammate, LaDainian Tomlinson, speculated that Rivers might be distracted by the burden of being the Chargers' star player.
Rivers had a whopping 385 yards passing and added 4 touchdowns, but threw 3 crushing interceptions against the defending champion Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
Rivers threw for 274 passing yards and an interception and a fumble in a 24-17 Week 10 against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He did however, throw 2 touchdowns to rookie Vincent Brown
Vincent Brown
Vincent "The Undertaker" Brown is a former NFL linebacker who spent his entire career with the New England Patriots. He is currently the linebackers coach at the University of Virginia.-External links:***...
.
Rivers threw for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 31-20 loss to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He added 2 more interceptions thrown. The touchdown passes went to Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after playing college basketball at Kent State University...
and Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
.
The Chargers lost a heartbreaker, 16-13 in overtime to Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Rivers threw for 188 yards and a touchdown to Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after playing college basketball at Kent State University...
.
Former NFL records
- NFL Record for most passing yards through first 8 games of a season - 2,649 yards (2010)
Awards and honors
- 3× Pro Bowl (20062007 Pro BowlThe 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
, 20092010 Pro BowlThe 2010 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV...
, 20102011 Pro BowlThe 2011 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2010 season. It took place at 7:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii...
) - 20082008 Pro BowlThe 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
Pro Bowl Alternate (Declined because of injury) - 2010 NFL Alumni Players of the YearNational Football League AlumniThe NFL Alumni is a 501 charity that is composed of former NFL players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth." The NFL Alumni advances its motto...
- 3× AFC Offensive Player of the Month (December - 2008 & 2009, October - 2010)
Personal life
Philip Rivers married his junior high school sweetheart, Tiffany, in 2001. They have four daughters and two sons, and reside in Santaluz, California. On January 31, 2010, Rivers' youngest daughter Sarah Catherine was born. He had been selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team the same year but did not make it to the game in South Florida due to her birth. In an interview with NFL Network on the 10th June 2011 Rivers stated the family was expecting their sixth child. On October 11th 2011, Rivers and his family welcomed their new son Peter into the world.
Rivers is an active Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and does a great deal of work in speaking with youth about spirituality. He states that, "I feel fortunate that I have the physical and mental tools to play the game... In turn I would like to use the popularity I have and have been given for the glory of God, to share with young people about how to be a better person - how to do things the right way." Rivers encourages youth to look to spirituality to understand that sexual intimacy should be reserved for marriage.
Rivers is a good friend of Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
' pitcher Jake Peavy
Jake Peavy
Jacob Edward Peavy is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed...
, who is also from Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and played for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
from 2002 to 2009.
Rivers' younger brother, Stephen, committed to play college football Louisiana State University (LSU)
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
after attending Austin High School
Austin High School (Decatur, Alabama)
Austin High School is in Decatur, Alabama and is part of the Decatur City Schools System, enrolling over 1,400 Students. Since its establishment in 1962, Austin has been one of two high schools in the Decatur area. It boasts a variety of Programs.-Curriculum:...
and Athens High School.
See also
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards in a game
- Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)This is a list of the most consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL. Only six quarterbacks in NFL history have been able to achieve regular season streaks of at least 100 games, with only two of those with a regular season streak of at least 200 games....
- List of North Carolina State University people
External links
Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)
This is a list of the most consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL. Only six quarterbacks in NFL history have been able to achieve regular season streaks of at least 100 games, with only two of those with a regular season streak of at least 200 games....