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Philip Rivers News & Rumors

What if Bolts kept Eli instead of trading for Rivers?
February 3
San Diego Union-Tribune
 columnist Kevin Acee
"They are questions as unfair to Philip Rivers and impossible to answer as they are logical to ask at this time. But they are all Chargers fans have now. What if Eli Manning were playing for the team that drafted him No.?1 overall in 2004 rather than the team he was traded to 45 minutes later? Would the Chargers be playing for a second Lombardi Trophy to place in that lobby case that currently houses various lesser mementos? Would Manning be on the doorstep of immortality, as he is now, already the MVP of one Super Bowl and perhaps days away from becoming just the 11th quarterback in history to ever win two of the game's most-coveted rings?"
Rivers' path for cause of needy children taking QB to Indy
February 1
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
""Forever mom and dad." "Forever family." "Forever home." Clearly the well-nurtured product of a loving household, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is the father of six children with wife Tiffany, all born with a sense of deep-rooted permanence. When talking about the kids he works with away from the football field and away from his own home, though, Rivers uses the word "forever" as if it's the most powerful, most important adjective in the language. "(There were) these two little girls who had bounced from home to home," said Rivers, recalling his early involvement in the cause of foster children. "I got to hear their story. That's when I knew. The story they shared was of a social"
Rivers finalist for NFL Man of Year
January 23
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, the only league award that recognizes community service as well as on-field performance. The other finalists are Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk and Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. The winner of the award will be announced Saturday, Feb. 4 in Indianapolis, the site of Super Bowl XLVI."
Rivers spoke up for Turner, and now needs to show up in next postseason
January 16
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers is to Eli Manning as Dan Fouts is to Phil Simms: Better numbers, except where it counts the most. Rivers is to Tom Brady as Dan Marino is to Joe Montana: More advance hype, much less history. Rivers is to Alex Smith as Drew Bledsoe is to Steve Young: Steadier progress, earlier peak. Rivers is to Joe Flacco as Warren Moon is to Jim McMahon: All defenses are not created equal."
Rivers clear — he wants Norv to return
January 2
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"It's Philip Rivers' locker room, so the quarterback has every right to speak in a loud, passionate tone to an intruder — in this case, yours truly. And who knows? Maybe his voice will be heard upstairs, where Chargers boss Dean Spanos has some deep decision-making to do. "You guys are making the wrong assessment, Nick," Rivers, wrapped in a towel, yelled back at me over his shoulder as he headed for the training room, the very private domain. "Did you see that little guy (Darren Sproles) running in New Orleans today? He used to be on our team!" A short time later the quarterback came up and said he was just kidding around, that he knew I could take it (he was right; I'm well past my"
Rivers won't turn down Pro Bowl honor
December 29
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers, who averaged just more than 11 interceptions in his first five seasons as a starter, has been picked off 19 times this season. That's more than any Chargers quarterback since Craig Whelihan was intercepted 19 times in 1998. Not since 1986, when Dan Fouts was intercepted 22 times, has a Chargers quarterback had more passes taken away in a season. Rivers knows about his statistical drop-off as well as anyone and has repeatedly expressed his disappointment in his overall performance in 2011."
Weddle, Rivers, Gates in Pro Bowl
December 28
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Three of the Chargers are still going to a postseason game of sorts, namely, the Pro Bowl. Pro Bowl perennials Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates were picked again for the NFL's all-star game -- it's the eighth invitation for the latter, the fourth for the quarterback -- and the newcomer joining them will be free safety Eric Weddle. The Chargers second-leading tackler, Weddle made his first Pro Bowl as one of three defensive backs atop the NFL with seven interceptions, one more than Weddle's total of his first four seasons. "The season we've had puts a little damper on it," said Weddle in a statement issued by the Chargers, "but I put a lot into it and worked my tail off this offseason to"
Lions' goal on Saturday: Don't let Philip Rivers get in flow
December 21
Detroit Free Press
 
"The Lions' defensive line has a simple plan for stopping San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers: Hit him. The earlier and more often, the better. "It's very important to get to him early, to make him feel our presence early," Lions defensive end Cliff Avril said Tuesday. "They have a good O-line. You definitely want to put pressure on Rivers to rattle him a little bit and make him worry about the pressure more so than his receivers and DBs downfield.""
Chargers' Rivers heating up heading into Ravens game
December 17
Baltimore Sun
 
"In the heat of nearly every moment on a football field, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers is said to be a man of many words — some more family friendly than others — whether his Chargers are winning big or getting their expletives handed to them. It's that competitive fire that endears or irritates, depending on one's allegiance. But even in this, perhaps the most frustrating of his eight seasons in the NFL, Rivers has the full respect of the Ravens, who are sure to get an earful of trash talk in San Diego on Sunday night. And of all the blooming verbal bouquets heaved at the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback this week, the one that sums Rivers up best came from soft-spoken defensive"
Philip Rivers jumps on Jaguars
December 6
Jacksonville Times-Union
 
"A lot was going wrong for the San Diego Chargers during their recent six-game losing streak. One of the most visible problems was the suddenly shaky performance by quarterback Philip Rivers. However, an injury-plagued Jaguars defense seemed just the right tonic for the North Carolina State product as Rivers completed 22-of-29 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns Monday to lead the Chargers to a 38-14 victory over the Jags to snap their streak and keep coach Norv Turner employed for at least one more week. Rivers, who was the 2003 Gator Bowl MVP for the Wolfpack in a victory over Notre Dame, feasted on a Jaguars secondary that has lost three starting cornerbacks for the season, with"
Volek has Rivers' back
December 2
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Between them, they have nine kids, so Philip Rivers and Billy Volek have a working knowledge of the carpool concept. Usually, though, it's just the two of them in the vehicle on commutes to and from the office. Those rides home have gotten longer. Not in distance. In commiseration. In conversation. "When he's driven, we've sat and talked in my driveway for quite a while, talking football and talking about the game (just played)," said Volek. "People ought to be able to see what he's like, need to know how bad he wants to win. I wish they could be a fly on the wall and hear the words that come out of his mouth. Maybe then they'd really know how much he cares. They'd get him. They'd see."
Any other week, Rivers has MJD's backing
December 2
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"At least one of the thousands -- millions? -- of fantasy-football players who've drafted Philip Rivers hasn't given up on the Chargers quarterback whose inexplicably high number of numbers are killing them. "Tell Philip this," said Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. "I got him on my fantasy team. This week I'm gonna have to bench him because he's playing the Jaguars, but tell him that I still believed in him when everybody else didn't, allright?""
Philip Rivers remains thorn in Broncos' side
November 27
Denver Post
 
"Philip Rivers has not been a thorn in the Broncos' side. He hasn't been a rock in their collective shoes, sand under their eyelids. No, Rivers has been a full-fledged, knee-buckling, stomach-churning migraine for Denver. While the list of what has troubled the Broncos in recent years is long, the one constant has been the team's troubles against San Diego — and Rivers. Since Rivers became San Diego's starter, he has gone 9-2 against the Broncos (it would 10-1 if not for referee Ed Hochuli?'s blown call in 2008). The Broncos not only haven't won a division title in that span, they haven't made it to the playoffs since Rivers took over. The division's heavyweight quarterback, however, has"
Rivers thankful, even mired in losing streak
November 25
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers gets it. Unlike some players -- for instance, one who made $917,647 during a four-week stretch in which he did not play a game yet called out "fake fans," telling them to "suck it" -- the Chargers quarterback continually shows he understands blessings. It being Thanksgiving, Rivers was asked in a press conference this week what he is thankful for. Here is what he said: "Honestly super thankful for my family ... six kids, my wife. I mean, you know, this time for me being in pro football, I think it's a lot different than maybe in other places. But I'm thankful for football 'cause I think football has brought us all here. You know, without football, none of us wouldn't have"
Broncos expecting the usual Philip Rivers, despite his bad 2011
November 25
Denver Post
 
"There's a rumor going around the NFL that Philip Rivers is having a tough year. Forgive the Broncos if they believe otherwise. "Everybody in this league has slumps, and everybody has some tough times or some tough games," Broncos coach John Fox said. "We know we'll get his best." Rivers, the San Diego Chargers?' quarterback, always seems to be at his best against the Broncos. He is 9-2 against them since he became the Chargers' starter in 2006. In those 11 games, Rivers has completed 191-of-290 passes (65.9 percent) for 2,759 yards, 19 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 109.8 rating."
Protecting Rivers from Bears will be team effort for Chargers
November 18
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Chargers running backs coach Ollie Wilson was working with his group early in Thursday's practice, looking more like an offensive line coach teaching the finer points of hand placement and the quick slide step. The Chargers backs hope to carry the ball more this week than they did in last Thursday's loss to the Oakland Raiders, but they also know where they'll be required just as often. "They're real active," Ryan Mathews said of the Chicago Bears defensive front. "That's going to be a big part (for) us running backs is helping out our linemen a little bit." If ever a group needed a little help. The Chargers offensive line is a quilt of rookies and retreads, sprinkled with rust and just a"
Unlike Rivers, Cutler has done a public-relations about-face
November 18
Chicago Tribune
 
"There's nothing like a growing stack of victories to get a football-crazed burg like this one brimming with civic pride. I say get used to it. The Bears are going to beat San Diego on Sunday. That will extend the win streak to five, my friend. In the process, it is my hope Bears defenders batter Philip Rivers silly. With a Chargers line thinned out by injuries, they should. I know Rivers' career numbers are gaudy. I know he has some play-makers in tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Vincent Jackson."
Jay Cutler vs. Philip Rivers isn't a classic, but there is some history
November 17
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Jay Cutler vs. Philip Rivers is one of the oddest quarterback rivalries in NFL history. It's rooted in each other's personality quirks — Rivers' brashness vs. Cutler's .?.?. Cutler-ness, for lack of a better term — rather than a history of last-minute heroics to win classic games. It began late in the 2007 season, when Rivers and the Chargers whipped Cutler and the Broncos 23-3, and TV cameras caught Rivers and teammates taunting Cutler after his last incomplete pass. The Chargers said it was in response to Cutler trash-talking during the game. Cutler was miffed nonetheless, and the battle was on."
Rival QBs can be friendly if not friends
November 17
Chicago Tribune
 
"Jay Cutler and Philip Rivers might exchange pleasantries before the coin toss Sunday at Soldier Field, but they're not going to be friends soon. Sure, time might heal some wounds, and the big-armed quarterbacks did their best to avoid a rekindling of their rivalry Wednesday, but these guys don't care much for each other. In talking to people involved in the rivalry between Cutler's old team, the Broncos, and Rivers' team, the Chargers, it all started at the end of Cutler's second season in 2007. The Chargers were leading the Broncos 23-3 when they stuffed running back Cecil Sapp on a fourth-and-1 from the 2-yard line."
Rivers leaks picks but insists results are just random
November 7
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"By the time Philip Rivers took his turn behind the lectern, the leak in the ceiling was down to a single drop every 20 or 30 seconds. Not enough to lower the lifeboats. Just enough to remind you it had rained. The water descended a few inches in front of Rivers' face, plopping softly on his postgame podium. Not enough to form a puddle. Just enough to remind you Qualcomm Stadium isn't getting any younger. Much like the Chargers quarterback's 2011 campaign, the drip was more annoying than alarming, an obvious flaw that ought to be fixable. The difference is that Rivers' problems have been more difficult to diagnose. "I appreciate everybody trying to come up with a theory," Rivers said Sunday"
Rivers' finger least of Chargers' injury concerns
November 4
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers' left ring finger was wrapped in tape Thursday, the result of him jamming his finger on the fateful fumbled snap Monday night in Kansas City. "If you wrote about every jammed finger in the locker room …" Rivers said. But he's the quarterback. He uses both hands on every snap. "It isn't an issue," Rivers said, balling his hand for effect. Indeed, the hand did not seem to be an issue during the portion of Thursday's practice open to the media. Replays of the play show center Nick Hardwick's snap going directly into the finger on Rivers' non-throwing hand. Rivers is never seen reacting to the injury and said he didn't even notice the pain until after the game."
Mishandled snap hid signs Rivers snapping out of funk
November 3
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers screwed up at the end of Monday night's game in Kansas City. Big time. Inexcusable. He started horribly. Almost beyond belief. There is no way around the fact that Rivers' mistakes cost the Chargers another game. Monday is not the first time he's put his team in a hole this season. His first-quarter passer rating is 64.7, 29th in the NFL. He's missed more open receivers – with his eyes and his arm -- than any time in at least four years. It's difficult to argue against the idea that if not for his bungles, for all their other deficiencies, the Chargers would probably have two more victories."
Equal parts shock, dismay at mishandled snap
November 1
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"After several hours in which he and the Chargers could barely hear themselves think, Philip Rivers could barely be heard. His voice was as low as his spirits. "That's something that's never happened," said the Chargers' now beleaguered quarterback, "and it never should." It did. Just about the most solid center-quarterback connection in the National Football League — Nick Hardwick to Rivers, Pro Bowler to Pro Bowler — misconnected at the absolute worst time in a game the Chargers needed in the worst way. Fifteen yards away from the goal line, with the Chargers needing only to kill some time before a game-winning field goal by near-automatic Nick Novak, the snap from Hardwick thudded off"
Jaws sees reasons for Rivers' struggles
October 31
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"For Ron Jaworski, Philip Rivers' struggles are relative. "I think we've raised the bar -- or Philip has raised the bar -- so high in his performance that when we see it drop a little bit, we almost panic," Jaworski said. "I mean, he has been so good for such an extended period of time, When you see some of the things happening, there is some concern." Jaworski spoke Friday by phone as he drove to the airport. He is here now to as part of ESPN's Monday Night Football crew. Where fellow commentator and former (and future?) head coach Jon Gruden essentially believes everyone is great, Jaworski provides the unabashed former quarterback's perspective."
Struggling Rivers cares about one stat
September 26
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers was smiling as he sat in front of his locker. His worst game, statistically, since 2008 was behind him. Wins are the statistics by which quarterbacks are ultimately measured. He would say that very thing in a postgame news conference and then several more times, in various ways, as he walked from Qualcomm Stadium. "I mean, shoot, I want to play better, but 2-1 is 2-1," Rivers said. "I mean, I don't know anything more than that." And not too long after that, after his drive home, after removing the ice pack from around his chest, after giving his and his team's start to this season a little more thought, Rivers had for all intents and purposes moved on. In one final text"
Rivers takes time to heat up, too
September 22
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"If Philip Rivers is the egg, then the chicken comes first in this instance. Just like his team, which has not started better than 2-3 since 2006, the Chargers quarterback generally has not fared well in the first part of the season since '06. It is a trend that has continued this season, as Rivers has for just the fourth time in his career thrown two interceptions in successive games and posted a passer rating (90.8) significantly lower than the career mark he brought into 2011."
Brady-Rivers the sequel to Brady-Manning
September 18
Boston Herald
 
"With Peyton Manning out for the foreseeable future after undergoing cervical fusion surgery, it appears we need to find Tom Brady a new dance partner. More to the point, we need a new quarterback rivalry to hail as the marquee matchup in the AFC and fuel the NFL's star-powered hype machine. Look no further than Gillette Stadium today. Tom Brady vs. Philip Rivers. That's the ticket. While there haven't been nearly as many showdowns as Brady-Manning, there still have been some epic battles already registered in the Brady-Rivers rivalry. So while the Manning duel will most certainly will be missed when the Colts visit Foxboro in December (and perhaps beyond), this one will do just fine as it"
Brady, Rivers set for showdown at Gillette
September 15
Boston Herald
 
"The number stands up by itself. No need to add hyperbole. Tom Brady threw for 517 yards against the Miami Dolphins [team stats] Monday night, setting a franchise record and putting the entire league on notice. Among his most ardent admirers that night was a quarterback who knows a little about being productive. San Diego's Philip Rivers viewed not only the yardage total as "unbelievable," but also how Brady accumulated it. Precise throws into tight coverage against one of the league's toughest units. The respect was evident. "He was in full control obviously, like he is many games," Rivers said yesterday. "It was fun to watch.""
Rivers tops Fouts as best Chargers QB ever
August 2
San Diego Union-Tribune
 columnist Nick Canepa
"Today we walk hallowed ground, onto consecrated property heretofore reserved for Air Coryell's hangar. It almost seems sacrilegious to explore this subject, especially in San Diego, but the time is right to ask the question: Is Philip Rivers a better quarterback than Dan Fouts? The answer is yes. Rivers never has won anything and Fouts is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but if you can get past the cloud of Don Coryell pixie dust, then you know Fouts never won anything either. It's risky and often unfair to compare eras — a New York poll laughingly has Derek Jeter the No.?2 Yankee of all time behind Babe Ruth — but in this case I've seen both Chargers QBs play live, covered them both. Rivers"
Philip Rivers becomes coach for campers
June 27
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Nine-year-old Kandy is a foster child. She's moved four times in the last year, still waiting for a permanent home and family. She's never played sports. Never thrown a football. But Saturday, not only did Kandy catch a pass, but she made an interception. An interception off none other than Philip Rivers, quarterback for the San Diego Chargers. "It was fun," she said with a wide, toothy grin. Kandy was one of more than 300 children who participated in the Philip Rivers Football Camp this weekend at the University of California San Diego. In its second year, the two-day camp gives kids a chance to learn football fundamentals from professional coaches and players. And of course, it wouldn't"
Phillips makes Pro Bowl
January 25
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"The Chargers are back to having three Pro Bowlers, and the NFL's No.1 defense will have a representative in Hawaii. Outside linebacker Shaun Phillips, initially named a third alternate, was added to the AFC roster on Monday. Phillips takes the place of James Harrison, who will be busy playing in the Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Phillips actually replaces Kansas City's Tamba Hali, the second alternate, who withdrew for personal reasons."
Rivers named MVP by teammates
January 2
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"On the eve of the season finale, Philip Rivers was named Chargers MVP by his teammates for the third straight year. Also, running back Mike Tolbert was voted Offensive Player of the Year and outside linebacker Shaun Phillips was named Defensive Player of the Year. Rivers being recognized should come as no surprise. He completed passes to a league-high 17 receivers and touchdown passes to a team-record 11 different players. Rivers' 4,397 yards are a career high and are 405 less than Dan Fouts' team record. Rivers has completed 30 touchdown passes, tied with Fouts for third-most in team history and four off Rivers' team record set in 2008. Rivers was named MVP last season and shared the"
Oft-chosen, Rivers actually may play in a Pro Bowl
December 30
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"There are games labeled "inconsequential," games like the one the Chargers will play Sunday in Denver, irrelevant in the sense that it has no direct bearing on the division title or wild-card race or home-field advantage. Philip Rivers rarely has played in one of those. And then there's the "game" that's truly, unequivocally, thoroughly and blatantly inconsequential in the big-picture, the Pro Bowl, albeit an NFL showcase and an exhibition and an honor. Rivers never has played in one of those. "I plan to," Rivers said Wednesday. Rivers is due to play in his first Pro Bowl on Jan. 30. Actually, he's well overdue to, given that this is the fifth straight year Rivers has been selected one way"
Gates, Dielman, Rivers voted to Pro Bowl
December 29
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"They can't get around it. The Pro Bowl falls under the category "postseason honors," and for an NFL player, it remains the reward and symbol of individual excellence in the most team-centric of professional sports. That the all-star game's now played before the Super Bowl only makes it more difficult for those whose teams don't make it to the playoffs, especially the ones who've become postseason regulars. For the first time in five years, the Chargers won't be playing a game after their regular-season finale, but the Pro Bowl will be returning to Hawaii and so will some of them. While his nettlesome foot issues presumably might keep tight end Antonio Gates from running around Aloha"
Rivers still part of MVP conversation
December 22
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers is up for FedEx Air Player of the Week, along with Detroit's Drew Stanton and Philadelphia's Michael Vick. Fans can vote at NFL.com/FedEx through 9 a.m. Friday. Fans won't be voting next month for a bigger award for which Rivers and Vick should also be finalists - along with what probably will be two other top vote-getters, New England's Tom Brady and Atlanta's Matt Ryan. A nationwide panel of 50 writers and broadcasters determine the NFL MVP, which is announced the first week of January. While Rivers' numbers have dropped (he has not thrown for 300 yards since Oct. 31) his level of play has not. And his team winning six of its past seven games to improve to 8-6 has probably"
Rivers, Manning headline Sunday night
November 28
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Of course, the Chargers didn't beat Peyton Manning alone. "They've won the games recently," Manning said this week in reference to the Chargers winning four of the last five times they've played the Indianapolis Colts. "But I think they've been team losses. It will take a team effort in order to have a chance to win." Absolutely. Just ask Philip Rivers about a few of the Chargers' losses this season. But, still, this is a marquee matchup of quarterbacks too rich to not make a big deal out of it. The NFL's leading passer (Rivers, with 3,177) against the No. 2 (Manning, with 3,059). The leader in touchdown passes (Rivers, 23) against the quarterback with the fourth-most (Manning, 20). The"
Better for Rivers to pass on record
November 26
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"The Chargers would prefer Philip Rivers didn't challenge Dan Marino's NFL record for passing yards in a season. Oh, they say they don't care how the victories come. And sure, OK, makes sense. But the reality is that when they run they win. Or when they win they run. "Both of those statements can be right," Rivers said. "If you don't turn it over and have a lead, you will run it more." At 5-5, the Chargers have thrown 86 more passes in their losses and run 44 more times in their victories. Rivers has thrown for fewer than 300 yards in three victories and never more than 334 yards in a win this season. He's topped 400 yards in two losses and gone for at least 298 in four of them. "That's"
Rivers' 3 TDs push Chargers to big lead
November 23
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Patrick Crayton and Darren Sproles turned short passes from Philip Rivers into long touchdowns through the Denver defense, and the surging San Diego Chargers rolled to a 28-7 lead over the Broncos after three quarters Monday night. Malcom Floyd caught an early 6-yard TD pass from Rivers, who passed for 220 yards while reclaiming the overall NFL lead in yards passing from Peyton Manning. Chargers fullback Mike Tolbert also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter after making a 28-yard catch on a trick pass by punter Mike Scifres in the first. After Crayton turned a screen pass into a 40-yard score with 2:05 left in the second quarter, Sproles romped through the Denver"
One thing we know: Rivers won't be making a bid
November 22
San Diego Union-Tribune
 columnist Tim Sullivan
"Philip Rivers does not imagine himself as a mogul. The San Diego Chargers' $92 million quarterback views wealth as a byproduct, not a purpose. Days after it was disclosed that Chargers' owner Alex Spanos was prepared to sell off a piece of the franchise, ostensibly for estate planning purposes, Rivers was fully invested in indifference. Asked if he might want a piece of the action, Rivers indicated that he prefers to leave high finance to the financiers. "I've got enough going on," he said. "I don't know much at all about it. So I'm asking you: What's the deal?" It was a good question, one deserving of an authoritative answer, but the meaning of Spanos' maneuver is shrouded by suspicion,"
Orton, Rivers meet in the passing lane
November 22
Denver Post
 
"Headliners are better appreciated when they're not in every scene. So running backs will occasionally perform at Qualcomm Stadium tonight. When the Broncos and San Diego Chargers do run the ball, it won't be for the usual reasons of controlling the clock and setting up the pass. The running plays will serve to give the receivers a breather from running down passes thrown by the NFL's two most prolific quarterbacks this season, San Diego's Philip Rivers and the Broncos' Kyle Orton. "I almost laugh when I hear announcers say they're running the ball to set up the pass," said former quarterback Ron Jaworski, an NFL announcer. "That couldn't be further from the truth. "As I'm watching Kyle"
Rivers' waiting game a teaching tool for Tebow
November 21
Denver Post
 
"From one quarterback to another, San Diego's Philip Rivers can understand what this season has been like, at least somewhat, for Broncos rookie Tim Tebow. Like Tebow, Rivers was a first- round draft pick. Like Tebow, Rivers spent his rookie year on the bench behind an established starter. Rivers sat behind Drew Brees for two years before finally becoming the Chargers' starting quarterback. Now he's among the NFL's elite players at his position. "During the moment, when I was in the midst of the first and second year, it was tough. The competitor in you wants to go play and feels you can go play," Rivers said. "But looking back, I certainly appreciate those years and I benefited a great"
Rivers rises vs. Denver
November 18
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"The Chargers today begin preparing in earnest for their Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos. It's a good week for Philip Rivers. "I do like playing them," said Rivers, whose 117.1 passer rating in eight games against Denver is his highest among teams he's faced more than twice. "All the division games seem like rivalries, but this one ... Maybe it's because they have happened to be the team we're battling to win the division every year." Through nine games this season, that is not the case, though both remain alive in the AFC West race - the Chargers a game behind Oakland and Kansas City and Denver a game back of the Chargers. Rivers does not deny the Chargers' offensive"
Rivers has some MVP numbers
November 9
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers is putting up MVP numbers, but his team is not. As the NFL season has moved into its second half and the Chargers are finally at their bye week, the only piece of the puzzle that must be different for Rivers to be considered the league's top player for 2010 is that the Chargers need to win more between now and January. "Well, when you are in the position we are from a record standpoint, I think it's hard," Norv Turner said yesterday when asked to pontificate on why Rivers isn't getting more national recognition for MVP consideration despite leading the league with 2,944 passing yards (second-most ever through the first nine games of an NFL season) and 19 touchdowns. For"
Rivers always gives Chargers a chance
November 8
San Diego Union-Tribune
 columnist Nick Canepa
"Philip Rivers should be carding his receivers. Before the Chargers offense takes the field, the best quarterback in football should make like a bouncer and check IDs - not just to verify the ages of his wannabe pass catchers, but to make sure they aren't using aliases and even qualify to be in the same nasty dive bar with him. Of course, Rivers isn't that way. He would take delight in throwing footballs to a group of overweight monks. Come on out and play, guys. Welcome to my neighborhood. You get open somehow, down there by that black Chevy, and I'll get it to you. Listen up. Dan Fouts is in the Hall of Fame, and he was really good, but although he was high sheriff in San Diego, he never"
Rivers spreading the wealth
November 1
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers is throwing passes to guys he didn't even know a few months ago and doing it at a record-breaking pace. With his fifth 300-yard game of the season in Sunday's 33-25 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Rivers has thrown for 2,649 yards, most in NFL history through a season's first eight games. The biggest factor, however, doesn't sit well with him. "We've been behind in games," he said. "I certainly would trade it for a lot more wins." Still, it is perhaps most remarkable because has completed passes to 14 different receivers, six of whom he'd never thrown to before this season, including three who had never caught an NFL pass two games ago. With Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee"
Rivers still finding his way without Jackson
September 17
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The final numbers might not have reflected it, but the absence of WR Vincent Jackson clearly affected QB Philip Rivers in the Chargers' Week One loss at Kansas City. Facing a Chiefs defense that ranked 30th in 2009, Rivers had issues finding open receivers all night long, completing just 56 percent of his passes after being a 65 percent passer the past two seasons. While the wet weather was certainly a factor, the quarterback's troubles had more to do with his inability to connect with his wideouts, only three of whom saw playing time in the opener. Rivers' biggest problem seemed to be getting on the same page with Malcom Floyd, the man charged with replacing Jackson as the Bolts' No. 1"
Rivers' critics off target again
September 17
San Diego Union-Tribune
 columnist Nick Canepa
""You've got spunk. I hate spunk." Lou Grant to Mary Richards Not Lou, not all football fans - not even a few million "experts" - are with me on this. Too bad. I like spunk. Moxie. Emotion. Daring. Especially in quarterbacks, whose livers are not supposed to be yellow, nor their hearts faint. What kind of person do you want running your football team, Gen. Patton, or Joseph Ismay, who famously abandoned the women-and-children-first rule on the Titanic? If our forefathers were wimps, we'd all sound like King George III. Which brings us to Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who wears his emotions as Astaire did a tux, there for all to see. It must have been terrible growing up for little"
Chargers elevated by Rivers
September 13
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"Philip Rivers is a big but. The Chargers don't have Vincent Jackson, but ... The Chargers don't have Marcus McNeill, but ... LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Cromartie and Jamal Williams are gone, but ... The Chargers' window of opportunity has closed/is closing, but ... Whatever people, far and wide, say about the Chargers these days it seems to begin with some reason the stunted AFC West dynasty is crumbling and end with a caveat: "... but as long as they have the great quarterback they'll be OK." Rivers, entering his fifth season as the Chargers' starting quarterback, coming off arguably his best season, is as comfortable and in control as he's ever been. He has certainly felt and exuded"
Legend of Rivers grows
August 23
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
"It was the tackle felt around the team. When Philip Rivers took down Dallas Cowboys safety Barry Church at the end of a second-quarter fumble return that almost everyone in the stadium figured was destined for the end zone, Rivers did more than stop a touchdown in a meaningless game. He showed with that head-on tackle exactly what he means to the Chargers -- beyond the NFL's best passer rating (105.0) over the past two seasons. "He's our fearless leader," defensive end Jacques Cesaire said. "When you see stuff like that, you know you have to pick up your game. That's the type of leadership … guys are attracted to and rally around. If there was ever any question if he was the leader of this"