Debating Whether Wolfpack Legend Philip Rivers Still Get it Done
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RALEIGH — One NC State football alum is making waves by returning to the professional game after a five-year retirement stint. 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers, who last suited up for the Wolfpack in 2003, leaving as the program's most accomplished quarterback outside of Roman Gabriel, signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad as that franchise deals with a number of injuries.
Rivers, who recently made a trip to Raleigh for the NC State-North Carolina rivalry game with his son and four-star quarterback recruit, Gunner, worked out for the Colts on Monday and joined the team later that day. On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, we discuss whether the Wolfpack legend could still get it done in the NFL, despite his age.
Watch the episode
More on Rivers and his return
3⭐️ RB Noah Moss is best friends with 4⭐️ '27 QB Gunner Rivers. A visit alongside the Rivers family helped seal Moss' commitment to NC State.
— Noah Fleischman (@fleischman_noah) December 2, 2025
"[Philip Rivers] loves NC State. ... That was something that was a seller [for me], to be honest."
More here: https://t.co/eoChZNR41v pic.twitter.com/zIK4qEeeed
Rivers wasn't done helping NC State before he made the move back to the NFL. During his recent trip to Carter-Finley Stadium, he brought along three-star running back Noah Moss, who played for Rivers at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama, the school where Rivers has coached for the past few seasons as his son rises up as a recruit.
Moss committed to NC State during the Early Signing Period, with Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren praising Rivers for bringing the running back prospect to his attention. Moss was as surprised as anyone else was when he heard his high school coach was making a return to the pros and took to social media to discuss things.
I’m just as lost as everybody else 😭 https://t.co/oOVyghdILw
— Noah Moss (@NoahMoss2026) December 9, 2025
One unique wrinkle in the whole situation is that St. Michael Catholic ran a nearly identical offensive scheme to the one the Colts currently run under head coach Shane Steichen. Rivers and Steichen have a relationship that goes back to their Chargers days and clearly the Colts coach still believes in his friend. So does Moss, the NC State commit.
"I’ve seen him spin it at practice. I know he’s still capable," Moss wrote in an X post.
Whether or not Moss' statement is true remains to be seen. It's unclear if the NC State icon will take the field for the Colts, but he certainly will get a chance to impress. His time in Raleigh hasn't been forgotten by many Wolfpack fans, as he still carries a reputation as one of the greatest to come through the program in its lengthy history.
He passed for 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns in his four years with the Wolfpack. He finished his collegiate career with a 30-point win over Kansas in the 2003 Tangerine Bowl, capping off four-straight bowl appearances with a third win in the postseason.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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