New Philip Rivers Rumors Update NC State HC Search Buzz With Son Gunner Committed to Wolfpack

NC State has a coaching vacancy after Dave Doeren's firing over the weekend. A pretty notable alum of the school could be his replacement.

According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, "Former quarterback Philip Rivers is a strong candidate for the job. Rivers is a very successful high school coach at St. Michael Catholic High in Alabama. His son, Gunner, a 4-star quarterback, is one of the Wolfpack's top commits in the 2027 recruiting class."

One source told Feldman that "it's definitely more than smoke."

Rivers is likely to make the jump from high school to college—or perhaps even the NFL—at some point. He interviewed with the Buffalo Bills for their previous vacancy before the team promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach. Feldman wrote that, "as one NFL source noted to The Athletic, Rivers has a lot of 'emotional intelligence' and basically called his own plays in the NFL."

A high-profile, future Hall of Fame quarterback like Rivers would also likely be a boon for the school's efforts to raise NIL money, as Feldman noted. He would be the sort of splashy hire that could invigorate the boosters and fan base.

Rivers, 44, was a four-year starter for the Wolfpack, throwing for 13,484 yards, 95 touchdowns and 34 interceptions between the 2000-03 seasons. NC State had four straight winning seasons and won three bowl games during his time at the school.

He followed that up with a fantastic NFL career between the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2004-2016) and Indianapolis Colts (2020; 2025), earning eight Pro Bowl bids while throwing for 63,984 yards (eighth all time) and 425 touchdowns (seventh).

Rivers won't be the only candidate considered, however. Feldman listed New Mexico head coach Jason Eck, Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield, Memphis head coach Charles Huff, Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann as other potential options.