NC State fans got a jolt on the opening weekend of the high school season when 2027 quarterback commit Gunner Rivers had to leave his senior-year debut with a lower-body injury.
Rivers was in the spotlight Saturday afternoon, starting the year on national television for St. Michael against Battle Ground Academy (TN).
But late in the first quarter, the outing took a bad turn after he scrambled and his right leg hyperextended, then got caught underneath a defender. He stayed down in clear pain before being helped off the field and not returning.
Backup quarterback Marshall Pitre stepped in for St. Michael, while head coach and NC State legend Philip Rivers addressed the situation before halftime.
"I don't think there's anything structural there," Rivers said. "Even if he's a statue out there, he gives us a chance."
By the end of the game, Gunner Rivers was riding back from the locker room on a cart without shoulder pads. He finished 3-for-4 passing for 84 yards and a touchdown in a 41-18 loss. The telecast showed him moving gingerly on the sideline, and his father later said the issue involved leg spasms and that he was hopeful it was not a season-ending injury.
The Rivers name carries some obvious weight when it comes to playing through pain. Philip Rivers started 252 straight games in the NFL, including a playoff appearance while dealing with a torn ACL. That run ranks second all-time among quarterbacks, behind only Brett Favre.
Gunner Rivers is coming off a junior season in which he threw for more than 3,100 yards and 46 touchdowns. The NC State commit is ranked inside the top 50 in the 2027 class and is scheduled to head to campus this upcoming January. For now, Wolfpack fans are left waiting to see how serious the injury is.
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