Philip Rivers has emerged as focus of NC State head coaching search, per report
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Philip Rivers was once a star quarterback at NC State, and about a quarter-century later the 44-year-old Wolfpack legend is reportedly in line to be the next head coach in Raleigh.
According to a report on Friday night by On3 insiders Chris Low, Pete Nakos and Brett McMurphy, “NC State legend and former NFL QB Philip Rivers has emerged as the focus of the Wolfpack’s coaching search.”
NC State is looking for a new head coach after firing longtime coach Dave Doeren last Saturday. Doeren had been the Wolfpack head coach since 2013, going an impressive 98-73. But NC State was off to a 3-4 start with a 1-3 record in the ACC, and the school thought it was time to make a change.
This could open the door for Rivers, who played at NC State from 2000-03 and capped his illustrious time in Raleigh by being named ACC Player of the Year in 2003. The No. 17 that Rivers wore at NC State has been retired, but as it turns out that might be only Rivers’ first chapter with the program.
Rivers doesn’t have any collegiate coaching experience, but his name value alone at NC State makes him a strong candidate. Since 2021, Rivers has been a high school head coach at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama. Rivers is an Alabama native who played his high school ball in Athens, Alabama, before leaving the state and arriving at NC State.
He launched the start of his legend at NC State at the turn of the century and now could be lured from his high school job back to Raleigh, although according to the On3 report there is no rush.
“With Rivers finishing out the high school season in Alabama, sources tell On3 there is no timetable for his hiring,” reported On3 on Friday night.
Rivers went on to an equally illustrious NFL career after leaving NC State, making 8 Pro Bowl appearances during a brilliant pro career that started in 2004 and even resumed last year when Rivers decided to return to the Indianapolis Colts after being out of the league since 2020.
He played for the Colts in 2020 and again in 2025, but his NFL legend was made out west with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, with whom he played from 2004-19.
Now, things might be coming full circle for Rivers as NC State reportedly zeroes in on the Wolfpack legend to possibly return as head coach.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
