CFB insider: ‘Continued momentum’ toward NC State hiring Philip Rivers as next head coach
By Jacob Moss
Published:
As the college football coaching carousel continues to gain momentum heading into the back stretch of the 2026 regular season, several programs are beginning to narrow down their preferred lists of candidates.
NC State, which fired Dave Doeren a couple of weeks ago, made headlines when reports surfaced that the Wolfpack were showing serious interest in program legend and former Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers as their next head coach, interest that appears to have grown since the initial reports emerged.
According to CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz, that there is “continued momentum” toward Rivers becoming the next head coach in Raleigh, and the two sides are “expected to have further communication in the near future.”
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Rivers, who played for the Wolfpack from 2000 to 2003, is arguably the greatest player in NC State history. During his time in Raleigh, he threw for 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns, earning First-Team All-ACC honors and being named ACC Player of the Year as a senior.
Rivers went on to become one of the most prolific passers in NFL history with both the Chargers and Colts, earning eight Pro Bowl selections, and finishing in the top 10 in several major career passing categories. As far as coaching is concerned, he has served as the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, since 2021, but has never held a coaching position at the collegiate or professional levels.
Rivers’ pedigree as a quarterback is undeniable, and his legacy in Wolfpack football history is unparalleled, but there are some significant gaps in his coaching resume. If he ultimately lands the job at NC State, the university would be taking a considerable risk by handing the program over to one of its most beloved former players.
