Philip Rivers appears close to becoming the next head coach at NC State, his alma mater. School officials traveled to Fairhope, Alabama, earlier this week to meet with the former Wolfpack and NFL quarterback.
The two sides are working to finalize an agreement, which could be settled within a day, according to people familiar with the discussions. NC State’s board of trustees is expected to consider the contract at a meeting next week.
Talk of Rivers taking over in Raleigh gained momentum after the school fired Dave Doeren nearly two weeks ago. In the meantime, Wolfpack supporters discussed what the program would need to compete in today’s college sports landscape, then began arranging resources to help Rivers get started.
Rivers had one thing to finish first: his season coaching St. Michael Catholic in Alabama. The team, which includes his son Gunner, lost in the opening round of the state playoffs Friday night in Fairhope.
Several people familiar with the process say Rivers has already started assembling a coaching staff and front-office team in anticipation of accepting the offer. Gunner, who has committed to NC State, is expected to enroll in January.
A major part of the negotiations has reportedly been ensuring Rivers has enough money to hire experienced college assistants. Since this would be his first college head-coaching job, bringing in people who know the level could matter a lot.
Resources for name, image and likeness deals, separate from the revenue-sharing arrangements schools take part in, have also been important in athletic director Boo Corrigan’s efforts to land Rivers.
The hire would likely energize NC State fans and could help boost ticket sales and donations. It also has the potential to draw recruits who are interested in playing for Rivers. Of course, money shapes plenty of roster decisions, even if it isn’t the deciding factor for everyone.
Ultimately, NC State will need to build a roster capable of competing in the ACC and making a push for the expanded College Football Playoff. A high-profile hire alone won’t guarantee that happens.
There have been plenty of examples of first-time head coaches struggling after moving up from coordinator roles. Rivers’ path would be unusual: he would be starting his college coaching career at a major program, a sign of how highly NC State officials regard him.
Supporters who have pledged financial backing will now need to help the program bring in players through the transfer portal and prepare for the 2027 season. The next few months should offer a clearer picture of what Rivers’ team might look like—and whether the Wolfpack can get back to challenging for ACC titles regularly.
