Philip Rivers Pursues Coaching Opportunity with Buffalo Bills
It seems that Philip Rivers is still not ready to leave the football world behind. Recently named a Hall of Fame semifinalist, he played three games for the Indianapolis Colts last season after a long hiatus from the NFL, which lasted nearly five years.
Now, in what is termed his second retirement, Rivers is reportedly in talks for the head coaching position with the Buffalo Bills, who have an opening following the firing of Sean McDermott.
The Bills let McDermott go two days after a controversial playoff loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC divisional round. According to owner Terry Pegula, that loss was a key factor in the decision to dismiss him.
Currently, Rivers serves as the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. Just before the new year, he announced his retirement from professional football, stating, “It’s over.” He expressed his excitement about being involved with the team his son will play for in his senior year, along with his younger son, who will be in ninth grade.
Rivers reflected on his coaching experience, noting that many students had shown interest in attending games, and he was looking forward to a fun and well-received offseason program. “Perhaps they’ll listen a bit more seriously now that I’ve just been out there playing,” he mused.
In his brief return, Rivers filled in during injuries to both Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson. He described the experience as a “fun three-week blur” that caught him off guard. He registered a total of 544 passing yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions in those appearances, rounding out a career that boasts over 63,000 passing yards and 425 touchdowns.
McDermott’s tenure with the Bills began in the 2017 season, where, despite the recent loss, he guided the team to the playoffs eight times in nine seasons, only finishing below .500 once. He led the Bills to the conference title game on two occasions but did not manage to secure a Super Bowl appearance.
