NFL icon Philip Rivers' son sparks Arch Manning-like comparisons
NFL icon Philip Rivers' eldest son Gunner Rivers has drawn comparisons to Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, who also comes from football family royalty. However, there's still some time before the two quarterbacks potentially square off on the NFL stage since Rivers is a sophomore in high school while Manning is entering his sophomore year of college football.
Nonetheless, the similarities in being related to former quarterback greats have meant many have likened the development of both young QBs.
Arch Manning is the grandson of former NFL star Archie Manning, and his uncles are two-time Super Bowl champions, Peyton and Eli Manning. However, the upcoming quarterback is yet to start a game for the Longhorns after serving as Quinn Ewers' backup last season.
Furthermore, he didn't do many interviews during his high school days at Isidore since his family kept him away from the media spotlight. Furthermore, he didn't partake in offseason camps like the Elite 11 Finals.
Notably, Manning also didn't have any social media presence until he announced his verbal commitment to Texas.
Meanwhile, the Rivers family is now seemingly following a similar pattern for Gunner. His father, Philip, played 17 years in the NFL and earned eight Pro Bowl honors.
Gunner Rivers is not on social media either, and neither is his father. This makes it challenging to find out more about his potential college recruitment.
As per 247Sports, Gunner Rivers has been offered to play at NC State, which is Philip's alma mater. However, little else is known about the programs he has visited so far as his family reportedly prefers to keep things private.
Philip Rivers' son Gunner continues turning heads at high school level
Gunner Rivers had a stellar freshman season at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama last year, under the guidance of his coach and father, Philip Rivers. The signal-caller completed 229 of 362 passes for 3,077 yards and recorded 29 touchdowns, with only four interceptions. He earned a MaxPreps Freshman All-America second-team selection and posted a 6-5 record as a starter.
Now, he looks set to turn heads in his sophomore year after ranking as a four-star recruit and the eighth-best quarterback in the 2027 recruiting class, as per 247Sports.
While there's no guarantee that Gunner Rivers will follow in the same trajectory as his father, he is undoubtedly one to keep an eye on for the future.