North Carolina State is shaking things up big time, with ESPN reporting Tuesday that they interviewed none other than our former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Russell Wilson, for their vacant head coaching position. Yeah, you read that right. The Wolfpack are looking at bringing an icon back home, and the Emerald City knows exactly what kind of magic he can bring to a program.
The Return of a College Legend?
Wilson, a third-round pick for our Seattle Seahawks back in the 2012 NFL Draft, spent his first three college seasons tearing it up in Raleigh for NC State. He wasn’t just there, he was *the man*, leading the ACC with a monstrous 3,563 passing yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior, guiding the Wolfpack to a sweet 9-4 record. After that, he had one season at Wisconsin before coming to us and leading the Seahawks to our first Super Bowl victory in just his second NFL season. Remember that? We were back in the big game the very next year, too, even if it ended with a tough loss to the New England Patriots.
After his storied run here, Wilson eventually moved on, first to the Denver Broncos after the 2022 season, then one-year stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants before hanging up the cleats to pursue a broadcast career. He’s been out of the NFL for over a year now, and here’s the kicker: he has absolutely no coaching experience. Zero. That’s a huge difference from the other major name floating around for the job, Phillip Rivers. Rivers, another former NC State quarterback who flourished in the NFL in the 2010s, was reported as a target for the job on Saturday and actually coaches his son, Gunner, at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama. So, Wilson’s path would be a pretty wild one, but who isn’t intrigued by that kind of story?
Wolfpack in Transition and a Program Icon Hunt
This whole coaching search kicked off because the Wolfpack fired Dave Doeren last week, who was in his 14th season in Raleigh. Todd Goebbel stepped in as interim head coach and immediately got a win, leading the Wolfpack to a 31-10 victory over Cal on Saturday. But NC State is clearly ready for a national search, and they are seriously considering a couple of their own legendary QBs to lead the program forward.
Bringing in a “program icon” like Wilson or Rivers can be huge in today’s college sports landscape. Both Rivers and Wilson would walk in with instant credibility and a built-in fanbase from their playing days. It’s a smart play, even with Wilson’s lack of formal coaching. You can’t deny the guy’s leadership qualities or his winning pedigree, which is something Seattle knows all about. Funny thing is, Rivers actually got the better of Wilson in both their professional career matchups. So, there’s a little extra spice to this potential head-to-head battle.
Now, the question isn’t just *if* NC State will pick one of these two legends, but *which* one. Will Wilson bring his winning ways and legendary status back to the sidelines in Raleigh, or will Rivers’ coaching experience give him the edge? This is a national search, and everyone’s watching to see who the Wolfpack lands for this top job. Keep your eyes peeled, folks, because this decision could absolutely change the game for NC State.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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