‘Humbled’ Philip Rivers officially named NC State head coach

By Field Level Media Nov 13 (Field Level Media) – The NC State Board of Trustees officially approved the hiring of former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers as the program’s new head coach, while finalizing a five-year contract Friday. Rivers, 44, played 18 ​seasons in the NFL after starring at NC State from 2000-03 and is ‌expected to be formally introduced as coach Monday. “I am humbled and honored to be the next head football coach at NC State University,” Rivers said in a statement. “In many ways, I feel like I’m coming home. This is where it all began for me as an 18-year-old kid from Alabama, and now to return ‌to ​this great place as head coach is beyond words.” Rivers has ⁠not coached above the high-school level. ⁠He finished his sixth season as coach of St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala., last week after leading the program to the state playoff semifinals in 2024 and 2025. Rivers’ son, Gunner, is a quarterback at St. Michael and a four-star ​commit to the Wolfpack’s 2027 recruiting class. “I gave it everything I had here as a player for 51 games and I will give it everything I have as the ⁠coach,” Rivers said of NC State. “There’s no denying that ⁠this is going to take hard work, but we’re not scared ​of hard. I look forward to getting after it every single day with an unbelievable coaching ​staff and a group of players who are dedicated to relentlessly pursuing victory.” Rivers ‌replaces Dave Doeren, who was fired Oct. 24 after a 3-4 start to his 14th season in Raleigh. Doeren compiled a 98-74 record, including a 4-6 mark in bowl games. Todd Goebbel has been the team’s interim coach. “Philip Rivers is one of one and the right person ⁠to lead NC State Football into its next era,” athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a statement. “His accomplishments as a player at the collegiate and professional levels speak for themselves. But ⁠throughout this search process, what ‌stood out to me most was his exceptional leadership ability, his ⁠character, the way he connects with people and his vision for ​this program.” Rivers ‌is NC State’s career leader in completions (1,087), passing yards (13,484) and touchdown ​passes (95). He ⁠finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 2003 and was inducted into the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. Rivers was the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and traded to the San Diego Chargers the same day. He threw for 63,984 yards, 425 touchdowns and 212 interceptions for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2004-19) and Indianapolis ​Colts (2020, 2025). (–Field Level Media)