Pack Pros: Former NC State QB Philip Rivers makes return to NFL 5 years post-retirement

It was the story of the weekend. Pack Pro quarterback Philip Rivers, who had spent the past five years coaching Fairhope (Ala.) St. Michael Catholic, returned to the NFL to make his first start in 1,800 days with the Indianapolis Colts. 

Although he wasn’t the most mobile signal-caller with an up-and-down arm strength, the former All-ACC quarterback gave the Colts the best chance to win in an 18-16 loss at the Seattle Seahawks, which required a 56-yard field goal made by the home squad with 18 seconds left to win.

Rivers, who nearly led a game-winning drive of his own just seconds before as the Colts made a 60-yard field goal in the final minute to take a 1-point lead, finished with 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 18-of-27 passing. He also added one carry for a five-yard loss in the defeat. 

While the Colts didn’t win, Rivers hoped that his return to the gridiron could serve as an inspiration for the high school team that he’s in charge of, which features NC State running back signee Noah Moss and four-star quarterback Gunner Rivers. 

“Obviously, this doesn’t come up every day. But I think maybe it will inspire or teach not to be run or be scared of what may or may not happen,” Rivers told reporters postgame. “Hopefully, certainly I think of my sons and those ballplayers that I’m in charge of at the school, that they’ll say ‘crap, coach wasn’t scared.’

“Like, shoot, sometimes there is doubt, and it’s real, and again, the guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it, and the other one is shoot, we’ll see what happens. And so yeah, I hope in that sense it can be a positive to some young boys or young people, doesn’t have to be boys. But again, that’s not the motivation. But whatever God’s will, I’m happy with.”

Rivers, who had just a few days of practice ahead of the start, is in line to continue as the Colts’ top quarterback as they prepare to face San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 16, head coach Shane Steichen announced.

As Rivers made headlines all weekend, he wasn’t the only Pack Pro in action. Here’s a look at how each of NC State’s NFL players fared in their respective games.

Pack Pros: NFL Week 15

OT Anthony Belton (played at NC State from 2021-2024), #71 Green Bay Packers: Belton started at right guard in the Packers’ 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos. He was credited with allowing four quarterback pressures, which led to a quarterback hurry and a hit, in the defeat.

C Garrett Bradbury (2014-18), #65 New England Patriots: Bradbury started at center in the Patriots’ 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He did not record a quarterback pressure allowed after playing 52 total offensive snaps in the defeat.

QB Jacoby Brissett (2014-15), #7 Arizona Cardinals: Brissett was 27-of-40 passing for 249 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the Cardinals’ 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans. He was sacked once, while he added three carries for six yards in the defeat.

OLB Bradley Chubb (2014-17), #2 Miami Dolphins: Chubb recorded four total tackles, including two solo stops, in the Dolphins’ 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. 

P A.J. Cole III (2015-18), #6 Las Vegas Raiders: Cole was a busy man with five punts for 223 yards, an average of 44.6 per attempt, in the Raiders’ 31-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He had a long of 52 yards but did not place a kick inside the 20-yard line while also not having a touchback as the Las Vegas offense gained just 75 total yards.

DL Cory Durden (2021-22), #94 New England Patriots: Durden logged four total tackles, including one solo top, in the Patriots’ 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. 

OT Ikem Ekwonu (2019-21), #79 Carolina Panthers: Ekwonu started at left tackle in the Panthers’ 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He allowed five total pressures, which led to three hurries, a hit and a sack, in the defeat.

DL B.J. Hill Jr. (2014-17), #92 Cincinnati Bengals: Hill recorded five total tackles, including one solo stop, in the Bengals’ 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

S Tanner Ingle (2018-22), #34 Los Angeles Rams: Ingle is on the Rams’ practice squad. He did not play in the Rams’ 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions.

DT Justin Jones (2014-17), #93 Arizona Cardinals: Jones was placed on the Cardinals’ injured reserve with a knee injury in August. 

RB Zonovan Knight (2019-21), #35 Arizona Cardinals: Knight recorded one carry for minus-two yards in the Cardinals’ 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans.

OL Tim McKay (2019-2024), #68 Washington Commanders: McKay didn’t play in the Commanders’ 29-21 win over the New York Giants as he’s a part of the team’s practice squad. 

OL Dylan McMahon (2019-23), #63 Los Angeles Rams: McMahon is a practice squad player for the Rams. He did not play in the team’s Rams’ 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions..

DT Alim McNeill (2018-20), #54 Detroit Lions: McNeill logged 63 total snaps in the Lions’ 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and fellow Pack Pro Larrell Murchison. 

WR Jakobi Meyers (2016-18), #3 Jacksonville Jaguars: Meyers recorded five receptions for 71 yards in the Jaguars’ 48-20 win over the New York Jets. He had a long of 21 yards on seven targets in the victory.

DT Larrell Murchison (2018-19), #52 Los Angeles Rams: Murchison logged 12 total snaps in the Rams’ 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions. He did not record a tackle in the victory.

LB Germaine Pratt (2014-18), #53 Indianapolis Colts: Pratt tied for the team lead with 10 total tackles in the Colts’ 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He logged one tackle for a loss in the defeat.

QB Philip Rivers (2000-2004), #17 Indianapolis Colts: Rivers was 18-of-27 passing for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Colts’ 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He also accounted for one carry for minus-5 yards in the defeat against fellow Pack Pro Drake Thomas.

DL Kentavius Street (2014-17), #93 Atlanta Falcons: Street did not play in the Falcons’ 27-24 loss to the New York Jets, as he’s on the practice squad.

LB Drake Thomas (2019-22), #42 Seattle Seahawks: Thomas posted five total tackles, including three solo stops, in the Seahawks’ 18-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts and fellow Pack Pros Philip Rivers and Germaine Pratt.

OL Joe Thuney (2011-15), #62 Chicago Bears: Thuney started at left guard in the Bears’ 31-3 win over the Cleveland Browns. He did not record a quarterback pressure allowed in the victory.

LB Payton Wilson (2018-23), #41 Pittsburgh Steelers: Wilson posted four total tackles, including two solo stops, in the Steelers’ 28-15 win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. He also posted a sack with a quarterback hit in the victory.

QB Russell Wilson (2007-10, finished at Wisconsin), #3 New York Giants: Wilson, the Giants’ third-string quarterback, did not play in the team’s 29-21 loss to the Washington Commanders.

OL Chandler Zavala (2021-22), #62 Carolina Panthers: Zavala did not play in the Panthers’ 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.