San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers lives by the Latin words nunc coepi, meaning “now I begin.” He repeated the words several times throughout his talk to the student body on Tuesday, April 21. The students picked up on it quickly, with one side of the room echoing “nunc,” and the other side echoing “coepi!”

In his speech, Rivers discussed his passions and priorities. “[My priorities] are very simple. Faith, family, and football, in that order.”

Raised as a Catholic altar boy, Rivers married his wife Tiffany in their first year of college, and they currently have seven kids.

“When I come home from a road game, it’s not cameras and microphones … it’s usually bikes and scooters and sidewalk chalk,” Rivers said.

When talking about football, Rivers said that, “Football means preparation, [and] hard work. It’s pursuing excellence, striving to get better. It’s the guts to overcome failure, the resolve to never give up, and the thrill of winning!”

Rivers told the crowd that everyone has a passion, and repeated that it is never too late to realize what it is.

“What are you passionate about? What fires you up? What gets you excited about life?” Rivers asked. “Life’s too short to just go through the motions. So discover your passion!”

After his speech, Rivers answered questions from the audience. People questioned him about various topics, such as his home life, football safety, and even his opinions on America using other countries for oil. While he did not have an answer for every question, when asked if he’s excited to play for the Titans, Rivers asserted that he’s “excited to play for the Chargers!”

As the final question, Mr. Moen asked Philip Rivers if his seven kids will attend Classical Academy High School in the future. As the audience cheered in joy, Rivers said, “We still have a few more years to decide that.”