Philip Rivers was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, going 4th overall to the New York Giants, who then traded him to the San Diego Chargers on draft day.

Quick Scoop

  • Philip Rivers was selected 4th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft.
  • The drafting team was the New York Giants , not the Chargers directly.
  • He was traded shortly afterward to the San Diego Chargers in the famous Eli Manning–Rivers draft-day swap.

Draft context

  • The 2004 draft class is often remembered for its quarterback trio: Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger.
  • Rivers arrived in San Diego with high expectations after a stellar college career at NC State, where he was ACC Player of the Year.

In forum and fan discussions today, the question “when was Philip Rivers drafted” usually points back to that wild 2004 draft night and the trade drama between the Giants and Chargers.

TL;DR: Philip Rivers was drafted 4th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and immediately traded to the San Diego Chargers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.