What to know about Gunner Rivers, the NC State commit
Gunner Rivers is the St. Michael Catholic senior quarterback and four-star NC State commit making headlines as he opens his 2026 season against Battle Ground Academy. Son of former NFL star Philip Rivers, he has thrown for more than 10,000 career yards and leads a Cardinals program coached by his father.
Key Takeaways
- Gunner Rivers, born Philip Gunner Rivers, is a four-star NC State commit and the son of eight-time Pro Bowler Philip Rivers.
- He has started for St. Michael Catholic since eighth grade and enters his senior year with 39 career starts and over 10,000 passing yards.
- In a preseason jamboree, he finished 12-of-17 for 142 yards and two touchdowns as St. Michael led Alma Bryant 23-0 at halftime.
- His Aug. 22 opener against Battle Ground Academy and Bo Bryan is nationally televised, matching sons of Philip Rivers and Luke Bryan.
Who is Gunner Rivers and why does he matter?
Gunner Rivers is the starting quarterback at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, and a highly rated prospect in the 2027 recruiting cycle. According to USA Today, he is the son of eight-time NFL Pro Bowler Philip Rivers—the fourth of 10 children for Philip and Tiffany Rivers and the eldest boy. His full name is Philip Gunner Rivers.
After retiring from the NFL, Philip Rivers became head coach at St. Michael Catholic, where he coaches his son. That father-son storyline, plus Gunner Rivers' commitment to NC State, has put the Cardinals under a national spotlight heading into the 2026 season. More celebrity sports updates live in our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Where is Gunner Rivers committed to play college football?
Rivers has committed to NC State, following his father, who played for the Wolfpack from 2000 to 2003 before becoming the No. 4 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. He chose the Wolfpack over notable offers that included Auburn, Georgia, Miami and others.
On the 247Sports Composite, he is a four-star prospect ranked No. 139 nationally in the 2027 class, No. 12 among quarterbacks and No. 6 overall in Alabama. 247Sports' own ranking lists him as a borderline five-star: No. 43 overall, No. 4 quarterback and the top player in Alabama. AL.com also ranks him No. 1 in its Best in Bama prospect rankings.
How has Gunner Rivers performed heading into 2026?
Entering his senior season, Rivers has made 39 career starts and thrown for at least 3,000 yards in each full-time starter season. As a freshman he went 6-5 with 3,077 yards and 29 touchdowns. As a sophomore he led St. Michael to a 12-2 record with 3,947 yards and 36 touchdowns.
As a junior in 2025, he guided a 13-1 team with 3,176 yards, 46 touchdowns and five interceptions at a 69.1% completion rate. Over three years—plus two games as an eighth-grader—he has piled up more than 10,000 passing yards and 113 touchdowns. Yahoo Sports notes he is less than 1,000 yards from the AHSAA career passing record of 11,024 set by Jack Hayes. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback added size over the past year.
In a final preseason jamboree against Alma Bryant, Rivers started 9-for-9 for 115 yards and two touchdowns, finishing 12-of-17 for 142 yards as St. Michael led 23-0 at half. Touchdowns went to Anthony Howard (40 yards) and Braedyn Walton (23 yards).
St. Michael is 25-3 over the past two seasons but fell in the semifinals both years. On Aug. 22, the Cardinals face Battle Ground Academy at 1:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. CT in a nationally televised matchup with Bo Bryan, son of country star Luke Bryan.