A Walk Through The Maze of Philip Rivers’ Large Family and His Career Progression

Quick Facts

From the number of years he has spent in the National Football League (NFL) to the number of people who call him father, Philip Rivers is a standout player and personality in the NFL. Since he joined the league since 2004, Rivers has been an essential and revered player in the highly competitive league for the San Diego Chargers, who are now known as the Los Angeles Chargers.

Aside from his longevity in a league where the average career length is 3.3 years, Philip Rivers’ family of nine children is one of the few standout reasons why he is one of the league’s most recognizable personalities. You will find out all the interesting things to know about them below. First, let’s take a look at Philip’s career.

Philip Rivers’ Life as a Football Player

A couple of years after Philip Rivers was born in Decatur, Alabama, he pasted his face over the picture of a Minnesota Vikings player as his answer to a fifth-grade project about his dreams and aspirations. Thus began his life as a football player which has now spanned more than two decades.

From Athens High School, where he established himself as a talented passer to North Carolina State University, Philip made his way to the NFL. With more than 15 years in the league, Rivers has become a household name, not just to fans of the Chargers, but the league at large.

College Career

He played for the Wolfpack (the Raleigh-based North Carolina State University football team) under the guidance of coach Chuck Amato, and he led the team to victory in the Tangerine Bowl against Minnesota, where he was named MVP in 2000.

As a rookie, he picked up (as well as he broke) several records in college football as far as North Carolina State is concerned. He was named in the All-American after scooping eight ACC Rookie of the Week accolades. In his second season, Wolfpack made it to a second Tangerine Bowl, however, they lost to Pitts. Nonetheless, Rivers was named MVP again – making it two Tangerine Bowl MVP awards in a row.

Rivers led his team to two additional appearances in the Tangerine Bowl, as well as an appearance in the Gator Bowl. For the repeated success he enjoyed with his college team, he won two additional MVP awards, and he was also named ACC Athlete and Player of the Year.

Philip Rivers started all the games in his 4-year college football career – 51 games in total – in which he recorded 13,484 passing yards, 1,147 passes in 1,710 tries, with 95 touchdowns. He was therefore named the most robust and efficient quarterback in ACC history. His 95 touchdowns at NC State tied him at eighth all-time highest with Brady Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury.

Professional Career

Rivers made it to the 2004 NFL Draft as one of the seventeen quarterbacks that were available for selection. The New York Giants selected him as the fourth pick of the first round. However, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers for another quarterback, Eli Manning.

Rivers agreed to a six-year contract worth $40.5 million with the Chargers. However, his first NFL start would not come until two years later in a win against the Oakland Raiders on September 11, 2006. Despite completing eight passes in that game, Rivers went on to become the Chargers’ all-time passing yards leader tens years after.

Having played more than 225 games in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers (2004-2016) and the Los Angeles Chargers (2017), starting more than 220 of those games, Philip Rivers recorded 7,545 attempted passes and completed 4,877 of them. He also recorded 58,990 passing yards, 196 interceptions, and 395 touchdowns.

What are the Career Achievements of Philip Rivers?

Sadly, over the course of his long career in the league, Philip Rivers hasn’t made an appearance in the Super Bowl. He has, however, led his team to the postseason multiple times, at least six times since he became a starter in 2006.

Aside from his team achievements, Rivers has recorded individual accolades, such as getting named in the Pro Bowl eight times, NFL Passing Yards Leader (2013), and NFL passing Touchdowns Leader (2008).

He also holds several records, both with the NFL and the Chargers. A couple of them include the single-game record for consecutive completions (NFL), Consecutive games with a passer rating above 120 (NFL), Consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass (Chargers), and Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (Chargers).

A Look at Philip Rivers’ Unusually Large Family

Apart from his time in the NFL, Philip Rivers is equally known for having a large family. A fact that stands out in a world where most people have two or three children. Since getting married to his wife in 2001, the couple has given birth to nine children. Combined with his extended family, which includes his parents and siblings, Rivers is the center of a huge family.

Take a Look at His Wife and Kids

The Chargers quarterback is married to a woman named Tiffany. She is his longtime girlfriend from high school. They dated for five years before they got engaged in 2000, and eventually went to the altar in May 2001. Since they got married, Philip Rivers and his wife, Tiffany, have given birth to nine children – seven daughters and two sons.

His first child, Halle Rivers, was born in 2002 with the second, Caroline, coming three years later in 2005. His ninth child, Anna Rivers, was born in March 2019. Both sons, Gunner and Peter, were born in 2009 and 2012, respectively.

Philip and his large family live in San Diego, where he and his wife raise their children in the Roman Catholic faith.

Who are His Parents and Siblings?

Philip Rivers’ parents are Steve and Joan Rivers. His father was a football coach who played a role in his early formation in the sports while he attended Decatur High School. His father was also the head coach when he played for Athens High School.

Rivers has two siblings – a younger brother, Stephen Rivers, and a sister, Anna Rivers, and he is not the only athlete in his family (besides his father). His younger brother, Stephen, is also a football quarterback who played collegiate football at Louisiana State University, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern State University.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.