Phillip Rivers, the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback, is reportedly taking over as the next head football coach at NC State. The Athletic dropped the news, and seriously, this move is a total curveball for college football. It comes right after NC State fired their previous coach, Dave Doeren, last month.
From NFL Buzz to College Sidelines: The Rivers Coaching Path
Think about it: just earlier this year, during the 2026 offseason, there were whispers, *real whispers*, that Rivers was drawing serious head-coaching interest at the NFL level. Everyone was talking about where he might land in the pros. But nope, he’s heading to Raleigh. He’s not new to the coaching game, though. Before this gig, Rivers was leading the charge as head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School down in Alabama. And get this: his son, Gunner Rivers, plays quarterback and is actually going to attend NC State. Talk about a family affair!
Rivers’ Legacy and This Unexpected Next Chapter
For a lot of us, Rivers is a name synonymous with tough, clutch quarterback play. He spent an incredible 18 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Chargers, but he also had two stints quarterbacking the Colts, even leading Indianapolis to the playoffs back in 2020. The dude was an eight-time Pro Bowler. To see a player with that kind of resume, who was just playing in the NFL last season (he came back to the Colts after Daniel Jones got hurt) and then rumored for NFL coaching, take on a college program is absolutely fascinating. It’s a whole new chapter for one of the game’s true characters, and you know everyone’s gonna be watching to see how he takes on the college ranks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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