Rivers has also played for the New York Giants.
Early life
Rivers was a highly decorated letterman in football at Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Florida. His awards include USA Today All-USA first team, Parade All-American, Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, EA Sports All-American, Insiders.com All-American, Super Prep Elite 50, Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, Lemming Top 10, Super Prep All-Dixie, Prep Star All-Southeast, Fox Sports Net All-South,Gatorade Florida Player of the Year and Florida Class 6A Mr. Football runner-up as a senior linebacker.[1] He played in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
College career
Rivers was heavily recruited. Then-University of Florida coach Ron Zook, noted for his recruiting ability, made a strong push, including talking to Rivers at 2 a.m. on National Signing Day in 2003. In the end, Rivers selected USC; and, to cinch the pact, the Trojan coaching staff committed to bestowing Rivers, a worthy future player, with the famed USC linebacker jersey # 55 to wear during his Trojan career, which is selectively awarded and has traditionally been given to a promising linebacker with the potential of becoming a USC football and NFL great, and includes past Trojan and NFL star players, all members of the so-called USC linebacker "Club 55", such as Junior Seau, Willie McGinest and Chris Claiborne.[2][3]
USC linebacker coach Ken Norton Jr nicknamed Rivers "the Shark" for his aggressive play on the field, juxtaposed to his polite demeanor off of it.[4]
Rivers was on the watch list for the 2006 Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, Bronco Nagurski Trophy, and Lott Trophy. He was 2006 Rivals.comand coaches first team all-Pac-10. The All-American selection with 78 tackles, Rivers decided to stay for his senior season.[5]
Rivers was a 2007 preseason Sporting News, Street & Smith's, Lindy's, Phil Steele's, Blue Ribbon and NationalChamps.net All-American. At the end of the 2007 regular season, Rivers was selected to the All-Pacific-10 Conference first team for the second year in a row by league coaches.[6] He was also selected to the SI.com All-American First-team.[7]
He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy, Management, and Planning.[8]
Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
Rivers was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft with the 9th overall pick. Rivers signed a contract with the Bengals on August 5, ending the 10-day holdout.[9]
Keith Rivers began his rookie season with 10 tackles against the Baltimore Ravens. In the following game against the Tennessee Titans, Rivers totaled 8 tackles. Against the New York Giants, Rivers recorded two tackles, while against the Cleveland Browns Rivers defensive production totaled 8 tackles. Rivers' rookie season was abruptly ended due to a shattered jaw suffered by a blindside block by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in Week 7, where Ward used his helmet to strike an unexpecting Rivers full-force in the chinstrap. That action and the season-ending injury that resulted led to the NFL instituting the "Hines Ward Rule" [10] after the season, whereby it would henceforth be illegal for blockers to land a blindside block using their helmet, forearm or shoulder, to strike at the head or neck area of a defender.
Despite missing the final nine games, Rivers finished his rookie season with 37 tackles, one interception, and a forced fumble. Rivers received the only vote for 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Yearthat didn't go to winner Jerod Mayo.[11]
New York Giants
On April 11, 2012, Rivers was traded to the New York Giants for a 5th round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.[12]
Buffalo Bills
On March 12, 2014, Rivers signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.[13]
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