Philip Rivers has a message for NC State football fans: ‘We’re not scared of hard’
Matthew Glenesk and John Brice, USA TODAYFri, November 13, 2026 at 6:30 PM UTC
North Carolina State football made its hiring of former quarterback Philip Rivers as its next head coach official Friday, Nov 13. He will be introduced at his alma mater Monday.
Rivers has never coached at the college level, but the program’s all-time leading passer and one of the NFL’s most accomplished quarterbacks of his era has been the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama since 2021.
“I am humbled and honored to be the next head football coach at NC State University, Rivers said in a school-issued 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.
“I gave it everything I had here as a player for 51 games and I will give it everything I have as the coach. 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.”
Grading the hire: Philip Rivers at NC State fits definition of a wild gamble
Rivers, who signed a five-year contract, replaces Dave Doeren, who provided stability during his 14 seasons at NC State but could never quite push the program to another level. The Wolfpack never won more than nine games in a season under Doeren.
"Philip Rivers is one of one and the right person to lead NC State Football into its next era," Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a release announcing the hire "His accomplishments as a player at the collegiate and professional levels speak for themselves. But throughout the search process, what stood out to me the most was his exceptional leadership ability, his character, the way he connects with people and his vision for this program."
NC State chancellor Kevin Howell added: "Philip Rivers is the perfect leader for this era in college football.”
"Philip is a winner who embraces the high expectations we have for NC State Football,” Howell said. “He has proven his ability to develop student-athletes and possesses the grit, integrity and vision to lead our program to championships. I could not be more excited to welcome Philip back to the Pack."
Rivers is the first former high school head coach to make the jump straight to college since fellow former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer did the same with UAB before the 2023 season. Dilfer went 9-21 before being fired midway through the 2025 season.
The track record of coaches making the jump Rivers is making isn't great. Dilfer believes Rivers is cut out for the job, though.
“If NC State’s willing to go all in on that, then Philip will be a home run because he’ll be able to evaluate them, recruit them, and now pay them," Dilfer told USA TODAY Sports. "... If you put Philip Rivers at NC State, he’s going to know what a good team looks like. He’s going to be able to put together a good team, and if he has the resources to pay for it, along with rallying the base, it’s a home run. But I would tell him, do not take a job unless they’re committed.”
USA TODAY Sports reported Nov. 4 that Rivers had begun assembling a staff. ESPN had previously reported fellow former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson had interviewed for the head coach vacancy, but that meeting occurred after Rivers had already started building his staff.
USA TODAY Sports has learned former NFL player Jerricho Cotchery is expected to be a candidate to join Rivers’ eventual staff at NC State.
A Birmingham, Alabama native, Cotchery starred alongside Rivers at NC State. He’s now in college coaching, serving as the passing game coordinator at NCAA Division II program North Greenville University.
Additionally, multiple individuals with knowledge of the proceedings believe another former NC State quarterback, Jatavis Sanders, is in the mix for a front-office role with the Wolfpack.
Sanders, currently Alabama’s director of recruiting strategy, previously worked at his alma mater as director of recruiting. He also spent time as Rivers’ backup quarterback at NC State.
Current NC State tight ends coach Gavin Locklear is another intriguing potential holdover. An alum of the school, Locklear appeared in nearly 40 career games at tight end for the Wolfpack.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philip Rivers has a message for NC State football fans: ‘We’re not scared of hard’
Source: Sports
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