Philip Rivers is expected to return to NC State as its next head football coach, with the university's board of trustees scheduled to finalize his contract Friday, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The anticipated appointment would bring one of the program's most revered former players back to the school where he starred at quarterback.
Rivers, 44, has never coached at the college level. He is in his sixth season leading St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where he built the football program from the ground up. His Cardinals reached the state semifinals in both 2024 and 2025. Sources told ESPN that Rivers had informed NC State he wanted to complete his high school season before moving on. That season ended Friday.
The former quarterback became the leading candidate early in the search for a successor to Dave Doeren, who was dismissed Oct. 24. Russell Wilson, another quarterback whose career included both NC State and the NFL, also held discussions about the job. Sources said Rivers' long-anticipated hiring was expected to be completed after Friday's trustees meeting.
Rivers played for the Wolfpack from 2000 through 2003, compiling 13,484 passing yards and 95 touchdown passes while breaking nearly every school and Atlantic Coast Conference record. His return as coach would follow a playing career that included four consecutive bowl appearances at NC State.
The Wolfpack won three of those bowl games under coach Chuck Amato. Amato, who led the program during Rivers' college career, died last month at age 80.
Rivers' son Gunner committed to NC State on Feb. 23. Ranked No. 168 in the SC Next 300, he finished his time at St. Michael with 10,847 passing yards and 119 touchdown passes. A knee injury brought his high school playing career to an end.
Philip Rivers spent 17 seasons in the NFL, playing all but one of them for the Chargers before retiring following the 2020 season. He returned from retirement last year to start three games for the Colts after injuries to starting quarterback Daniel Jones and backup Riley Leonard.
Rivers also explored an NFL coaching opportunity earlier this year. He interviewed in January for the Bills' vacant head coaching position before subsequently withdrawing from that search.
