Reviewed by: Caleb Turrentine
Alabama native Philip Rivers to become new NC State football coach
Reading time: 3 minutes
When North Carolina State University went searching for a new football coach, they opted to look in their own alumni group and found a candidate they think will restore the program to winning ways. And that man is former Athens High School standout and NC State football alum Philip Rivers.
Rivers, who is currently the coach at St. Michael Catholic School in Fairhope, emerged as the top target for NC State University following the October 24 firing of head coach Dave Doeren. The hire is still pending approval by the NC State Board of Trustees.
On3 Sports reported that Rivers and NC State are finalizing a deal to have Rivers become the next Wolfpack head coach.
Rivers was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2022, and his number was retired by NC State in 2003.
Philip Rivers heading back to NC State
Regardless of whether or not he was offered the NC State job, Rivers vowed that he would finish the season as coach at St. Michael, where his son, Gunnar, is the quarterback. His son has committed to play for the Wolfpack in 2027, so in essence, Rivers is following his son to Raleigh.
Rivers’ arrived at NC State as a freshman in 2000 after leading Athens to an 11-2 record and being named an All-State quarterback.
At NC State, Rivers’ achievements included:
- 13,484 career passing yards (second most ever at the time)
- 112 total touchdowns
- 4 straight bowl appearances and 4 bowl game MVP awards.
- ACC Athlete of the Year 2004
- First-team All-ACC in 2003
- Inducted into the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013
A look at Rivers’ NFL success
Rivers was taken fourth overall in the 2004 NFL draft by the New York Giants, who promptly traded him to the San Diego Chargers for Eli Manning. In San Diego, Rivers became a Chargers legend.
Although he never took the Chargers to the Super Bowl, he retired as the Chargers’ most prolific passer.
During a 17-year NFL career, Rivers accomplished some pretty impressive feats:
- Passing yards: 63,984 (6th all time)
- Passing TDs: 425 (6th all time)
- Completions: 5,335 (6th all time)
- Completion percentage: 54.9% (15th all time)
- 8× Pro Bowl selection
- NFL passing yards leader in 2010
- NFL passing touchdowns leader in 2008
He emerged from retirement briefly in 2025, which means he will not be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame until 2031, but he is expected to be wearing the gold jacket in his first year of eligibility.
Success as a coach
When he retired from the NFL in 2021, Rivers took over as the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope. St. Michael’s football program had only existed for four years prior to Rivers taking over as head coach, and had a combined 5-25 record during that time.
Since then, the Cardinals have gone 48-21 under Rivers’ leadership.
His record across six seasons at St. Michael:
- 2021: 6–3 (first winning season in school history)
- 2022: 5–5
- 2023: 6–5 (first playoff appearance)
- 2024: 12–2 (reached the 4A state semifinals)
- 2025: 13–1 (reached the 4A state semifinals)
- 2026: 6–5 (reached state playoffs)
The NC State Board of Trustees has meetings scheduled for Thursday, November 12 and Friday, November 13, during which the contract is expected to go before them for official approval.
