Philip Rivers is getting asked about his dream job again, and his answer started with a nod to the man who just lost it. The St. Michael Catholic coach spoke to reporters.
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Ben Thomas of AL.com posted the video on X: “Yeah, I mean, I shoot NC State special to me and go store and shoot what he did over 14 years. And all-time winning as coach is a ton of respect and appreciation for how he went about it with the university.”
Rivers was asked about reports tying him to the head coaching job at his alma mater. The Wolfpack fired Dave Doeren on October 24, and Rivers made sure to credit him first. He praised what Doeren did over 14 years and how Doeren handled it.
Then came the part fans wanted to hear. Rivers said there is nothing there “at this point” and added that he has to take it one day at a time.
“I’m excited about this postseason with these guys here.”
However, he did not close the door, as Rivers said, “You never say never, but there’s nothing imminent.”
Rivers declined to engage the speculation, saying there was nothing imminent and he was focused on his current team. So why is his name out there at all?
NC State dropped a 31-28 game at Stanford on Friday, October 23, and fell to 3-4. Stanford had been picked to finish last in the ACC.
The school moved on from Doeren the next day. He had been the winningest coach in school history, but he never reached the ACC Championship Game in 14 seasons. Running backs coach Todd Goebbel is the interim.
Doeren spoke after the firing and said “the resources need to match the expectations.”
That line has been part of the debate since. Rivers also has a deep history with the school. He starred at NC State from 2000 to 2003, making an NCAA-record 51 straight starts. He later became the No. 4 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and made eight Pro Bowls.
His son makes it even more interesting. Gunner Rivers is a four-star quarterback who committed to NC State in February.
Athletic director Boo Corrigan has said the school will run a national search, so nothing is official.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report that Rivers was under consideration. On3’s Chris Low, Brett McMurphy, and Pete Nakos later reported that Rivers had “emerged as the focus” of the search.
Rivers has never coached above the high school level, and St. Michael has reached the Class 4A state semifinals in each of the past two years. He reportedly interviewed for the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching job in January, and he called that process “exciting.”
He added that he wants to send off his last group, and that St. Michael had been on the cusp. It is a high school team, but he talks like a coach who is not looking past the next game.
St. Michael entered its regular-season finale on October 30 at 6-3, and the playoffs come next. Will the next big call come before that run ends?