NC State is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Philip Rivers as its next head football coach, according to reporting from OutKick. The agreement is expected to be completed within about 24 hours, and it would make Rivers a first-time college head coach at the program where he once played quarterback. The deal has not been signed, and its terms have not been confirmed by an official announcement from the university.
Rivers played quarterback at NC State from 2000 to 2003 and threw 95 touchdown passes during his college career. The reported move comes about two weeks after the school fired head coach Dave Doeren, leaving the Wolfpack program without a leader and looking for a new direction. Rivers currently coaches at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. His team lost in the opening round of the Alabama high school playoffs, a result that came shortly before the reported talks gained momentum.
According to the reporting, NC State officials met with Rivers in Fairhope earlier this week to discuss the position. Athletic director Boo Corrigan led the negotiations on the school's behalf. A board of trustees meeting is scheduled for next week, and the contract is expected to be approved at that session. While the deal is still pending, Rivers has reportedly already begun assembling a coaching staff and a front office team, signaling that preparations are moving ahead of an official announcement.
Money is central to the talks. Donors have reportedly arranged funding to support the hire, and Rivers is said to want resources to bring in experienced college assistant coaches, a priority for a first-time head coach building a staff from scratch. Name, image and likeness funding, which sits outside the revenue-sharing portion of the budget, is also part of the negotiations. Those financial structures are reshaping how college programs compete for coaches and players, and the reports suggest the Wolfpack will rely on that model to rebuild its roster.
Roster construction will depend heavily on the transfer portal and on donor support. The program is reportedly aiming to be competitive by the 2027 season, a timeline that gives a new staff time to recruit, evaluate and integrate players rather than expecting an immediate turnaround.
A family connection adds another layer to the story. Rivers's son, Gunner, plays at St. Michael Catholic, the same high school his father coaches, and has committed to NC State. He is scheduled to enroll at the university in January, which would place father and son in the same football program.
Much remains uncertain. The reporting relies largely on unnamed sources, and it is not yet known how Rivers will perform as a first-time college head coach after a long professional career. Until NC State officially announces a hire and the terms are made public, the details of the agreement, including the financial arrangements, remain unconfirmed.