Philip Rivers Emerges as NC State Coaching Candidate
On November 3, former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers emerged as a leading candidate to coach NC State, which is seeking a replacement for Dave Doeren. The job could bring Rivers to Raleigh to coach his son, Gunner.
Philip Rivers, a former NC State star and longtime NFL quarterback, has emerged as a leading candidate to take over the Wolfpack after Dave Doeren was fired on October 24. Rivers, who has coached at Fairhope's St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama since 2021, said, “NC State is special to me.”
Rivers has a 48-20 record in six seasons at St. Michael, with no losing seasons, and led the team to a 13-1 mark last year. At NC State, he earned multiple ACC honors and had his No. 17 jersey retired. Former Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon said Rivers’ standing in the program made the potential hire worth the risk, despite his lack of college coaching experience.
Rivers’ son, Gunner, is a four-star quarterback committed to NC State. After Doeren’s firing, Gunner said he remained committed and expressed gratitude for the former coach. He has thrown for 422 yards and six touchdowns this season after a knee injury in the opener. A Rivers hire could allow Philip to coach his son at college, as he has at St. Michael. NC State has not announced a decision on its coaching search.