For an NC State program staring down an eight-figure debt, a legendary family name is providing a lifeline that goes far beyond the gridiron. Fairhope St. Michael Catholic’s four-star quarterback, Gunner Rivers, committed to the Wolfpack, following in his father, former NFL star Philip Rivers’, footsteps. His commitment brings a massive opportunity for NC State, as it’s helping them attract top players from the 2027 class.

This marks one of the biggest recruiting wins for NC State as head coach Dave Doeren now holds four early commits in his 2027 class. For Gunnar Rivers, it’s a chance to build on a legendary legacy left by his father, Philip, who shattered nearly every program and ACC passing record from 2000 to 2003, including amassing 95 touchdowns and earning honors like the ACC Athlete of the Year in 2003-04.

But for NC State, the pipeline is not stopping anytime soon. Gunner Rivers is the program’s first Top-300 pledge since Jonathan Paylor and Jimmar Boston of the 2024 class. As such, Rivers’ arrival caught the attention of two NC State commits: running back Christian Freeman and Kamarion Johnson, who showed great excitement upon his commitment to the team.

The commitment is already creating ripple effects, with current commits like running back Christian Freeman and Kamarion Johnson expressing excitement. The move also captured the attention of key targets the Wolfpack hope to land, including four-star running back Joseph Buchanan and cornerback AK Crumel, signaling that Rivers’ presence is already amplifying the program’s recruiting momentum.

“That’s a big pickup. I had a chance to meet him and his pops at the Carolina game during the season,” Crumel said. “It’s crazy because my cousin Dwayne used to block for his dad when he played with the Wolfpack.”

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Alongside the recruitment moment, Rivers also brings a lot of production to the team. During his junior season, he completed 208 of 290 passes for 2,813 yards and 44 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions. He led his team to a 13-1 record and also pushed them to the state title game against Jackson. Because of that, he ranks No. 117 nationally and No. 12 among quarterbacks, as per Rivals.

For Rivers, it’s always been the culture that NC State has that forced him to overlook top programs like Miami, South Carolina, Auburn, and Boston College.

“I already knew NC State had a strong, winning culture, so this is evidence of what I already knew about the program,” Rivers said. “We’re gonna tear the ACC up.”

Rivers’ arrival provides more than just a boost on the recruiting trail; it offers a potential lifeline for an athletic department facing significant financial headwinds. Since the ACC shared the new revenue distribution model, which ties payouts directly to TV viewership, the addition of a marquee name like Gunner Rivers, who’s got a legacy linked to the program’s greatest QB, is also a financial recovery strategy for the Wolfpack.

NC State faces major financial trouble

NC State athletics faces a major deficit of $18.5 million in its first year of direct revenue sharing with the players. Another reason for this major dip is that ACC now gives money based on teams’ success in TV viewership, which obviously didn’t work for the team.

So, the university brought in $126 million, but its expenses went to about $144.6 million. For now, their athletic director, Boo Corrigan, said these numbers are “conservative” and can still change, but even then, the gap is large.

Nevertheless, NC State finished its last season with an 8-5 record and won its bowl game. Despite the financial issues, the team remains competitive, finishing last season with an 8-5 record and a bowl victory, and Corrigan is ready to fix things however the program can.

“We are going to fight and claw our way to a balanced budget,” Corrigan said. “To remain competitive, we need to be in this world. We need to be in this revenue-share world. It is really important. I believe it’s important to this institution.”

The first was the $20.5 million revenue sharing that started in July last year; then, the additional scholarship for $2.5 million is also another area of concern. The ACC does provide NC State with money of around $44.4 million, but that amount depends on how well the team performs and how many people watch it on their TV.

For now, the team is trying to cut expenses without increasing ticket prices further. They are also adding the required seat amount for the men’s basketball season tickets, just like they did for football and women’s basketball, which even got them $4 million last year. The team is also planning to host big concerts at their football stadium to raise extra money. As they made $500,000 from last year’s concert, in the summer, they can raise more from it.

While Gunner Rivers can’t single-handedly balance the budget, his commitment provides a much-needed jolt of excitement and marketability, giving NC State a fighting chance to reclaim both its financial footing and its prominence in the ACC.