NC State football countdown to kickoff: 17
The NC State football season opener for 2023 is at Connecticut on Aug. 31 — or 17 days away. TheWolfpacker.com’s countdown for the season looks at the significance of the number 17 in Pack history.
NC State Football And The No. 17
Just like No. 18, there really is only one topic of conversation when discussing No. 17 around NC State football — former Pack legendary quarterback Philip Rivers.
Rivers’ name appears nearly 300 times in the updated NC State football media guide, and for good reason. Not only did Rivers rewrite the Wolfpack record book, he left his mark all over the ACC.
His 13,484 passing yards in four seasons at NC State remains an ACC record nearly 20 years after Rivers completed his career in 2003. Second on the list is Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, who threw for 12,303 yards despite coming back for a super senior season in 2021. Only Clemson’s Tahj Boyd has thrown for more touchdowns in his career than Rivers’ 95 at NC State.
Rivers also still holds the record in the ACC for career pass completions (1,087) and attempts (1,710).
Following the 2003-04 season, Rivers became the most recent NC State football player to be named the ACC Male Athlete of the Year. He was also named the league’s Player of the Year in football, and Rivers finished in seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2003.
In the 2004 NFL Draft, Rivers was selected with the fourth overall pick by the New York Giants, who then traded his rights to the San Diego Chargers. After backing up Drew Brees for two years, Rivers would start every game over the next 15 seasons, a streak of 240 straight, with all but one of those years coming in the Chargers’ organization. His last season was with the Indianapolis Colts.
During that time, Rivers built a resume that will warrant heavy consideration for the NFL Hall of Fame, with perhaps lacking a Super Bowl appearance being his biggest sticking point. Rivers was an 8-time Pro Bowler and also won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2013 when he led the league in completion percentage.
Rivers also led the NFL in passing yards in 2010, passing rating in 2008 and shared for the most touchdowns in 2008. Rivers’ 63,440 passing yards in his career is sixth all-time in NFL history, as his 421 passing scores.
After retiring from the NFL, Rivers followed in his father’s footsteps and became a high school head coach.
Meanwhile, at NC State football, no one will ever wear No. 17 again after Rivers’ number was retired before his final home game at Carter-Finley Stadium.
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