NC State to Honor Former Linebacker With Special Jersey Patch

RALEIGH — NC State has a rich history of players going on and starring in the NFL after their collegiate careers. From legends like Philip Rivers and Roman Gabriel to current standouts like Bradley Chubb and Jakobi Meyers, the program has developed a strong legacy at the next level.

To honor those players who have paved a path and created a reputation for the Wolfpack, the program opted to put a patch on the jersey of the team to honor the legacy.

The latest member of the team to receive an honorary patch was Payton Wilson, now a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A legacy patch appeared on the Wolfpack's jerseys in the disappointing loss to Virginia Tech in Week 5.

Why Was Wilson Honored?

NC State head coach Dave Doeren was asked about his former linebacker and the reasoning behind the patch.

"I think for all of our players, when they get the honor of, wearing a special number, it's meaningful and there won't be a player on defense wearing that number probably for a long time," Doeren said. "There's not many out there that, you know, match what he did here, and I hope that there is someday, because that'd be great to have another guy like him."

Former NC State LB Payton Wilson was a star for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Dublin game this morning:

- 13 total tackles (career high)
- 8 solos (tied career high)
- 2 TFLs

Oh, and this chase down tackle that he hit 22.48 MPH on: pic.twitter.com/1RXgBbJMKk
— Noah Fleischman (@fleischman_noah) September 28, 2025

The question came just over 24 hours after Wilson helped the Steelers hang on in an international game against the Vikings in Dublin, Ireland. The star linebacker tracked down Vikings receiver Jordan Addison and saved a touchdown, helping kill critical time as Minnesota tried to mount a comeback in the game.

"It was fun seeing him making plays in Dublin on the highlights that one of the guys showed me. Amazing player," Doeren said. "I saw him run a guy down, 22 miles an hour or whatever, and my first thought was, 'I wish I still had him to erase some of these runs that we've been giving up.' But what a great player and his name is appropriately, appropriately placed in that stadium and will forever be that way."

Wilson had an illustrious five-year career with the Wolfpack before taking his talents to the next level. The linebacker earned first-team All-ACC honors in both 2020 and 2023 and was voted as a unanimous All-American and the ACC defensive player of the year in his senior season.

That wasn't all in 2023, as he also came away with the Bednarik and Butkus awards. As Doeren mentioned, Wilson became a member of the Wolfpack's Ring of Honor in 2024, just a year after leaving the program for the NFL.

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