PACK IN THE PROS: Eight Former Wolfpack Stars On NFL Playoff Rosters
A total of eight former NC State football players begin their journey to the Super Bowl this weekend, as the NFL playoffs get underway.
With one bye this weekend, the remaining seven #PackPros will all be in road action in the first weekend of the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Chargers lead the way with three former Wolfpackers. Playing their first season in L.A., the Chargers went 12-4.
QB Philip Rivers (2000-03) is making his sixth playoff appearance with the Chargers, and their first since 2013. For the 13th straight season, Rivers started all 16 regular season games. He completed 68.3 percent of his passes, the second-highest mark of his career, for 4.308 yards and 32 touchdowns.
The Chargers also feature a former pair of NC State players on their defensive line: T.Y. McGill (2011-14) and rookie Justin Jones (2014-17). In his rookie campaign after being a third round pick, Jones saw action in 15 games and recorded 17 tackles. McGill split time this season between the Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles, and played in four of the final six games of the season for L.A.
The Charges travel to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS.
After a season of missing the playoffs, QB Russell Wilson (2008-10) has led the Seattle Seahawks back to the postseason for the sixth time in his career. Under Wilson, the Seahawks have won at least one playoff game every season.
For the seventh straight season, Wilson started all 16 games in the regular season. He completed 65.6 percent of his attempts for 3,448 yards and a career-best 35 touchdowns and career-low seven interceptions. His QB rating of 110.9 is also a career-best.
Offensive guard J.R. Sweezy (2009-11) returned to Seattle after two seasons with the Tamps Bay Bucs, and started 15 games this season.
The Seahawks travel to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. on FOX.
The Indianapolis Colts are another team with a pair of former Wolfpack players. RB Nyheim Hines (2015-17) is the second Wolfpack rookie to make the playoffs in his first campaign. Seeing action in all 16 games of the regular season, Hines posted 739 total scrimmage yards (314 rushing and 425 receiving) to go along with four touchdowns. His 63 receptions were third-best among all NFL rookies, second-best among first-year running backs.
QB Jacoby Brissett (2014-15) has served as the back-up to Andrew Luck this season.
The Colts travel to the Houston Texans on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Receiving a bye this weekend after finishing 11-5 and securing the No. 2 seed in the AFC are the New England Patriots and OG Joe Thuney (2012-15). For the third straight season, Thuney started all 16 games of the regular season at left guard. Thuney has played in six playoff games over the last two seasons, winning the Super Bowl in 2016 and reaching a second straight Super Bowl last season.
Super Bowl LIII will take place on Sunday, Feb. 3 in Atlanta.