RALEIGH, November 12, 2026 — The NC State Board of Trustees is expected to approve a contract for Philip Rivers, a former Wolfpack quarterback and NFL star, to become the football team’s head coach on Friday. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama since 2021, met with NC State officials, including athletics director Boo Corrigan, on November 4 to discuss the open position.
Background And Experience
Rivers has no collegiate or professional coaching experience, but he has been praised for his leadership qualities. He played quarterback at NC State from 2000 to 2003 and is the program’s all-time leading passer, with 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns. Rivers was drafted fourth overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft and had a lengthy NFL career. He briefly returned to the NFL in 2025 to make three starts for the Indianapolis Colts.
The Coaching Vacancy
The NC State Board of Trustees is expected to finalize the contract on Friday, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach. The full board meets Friday morning in Raleigh, and the agenda includes a closed session. Rivers told NC State officials he wanted to finish the high school season before anything moved forward, and that season ended last Friday with a 42-35 home playoff loss. NC State fired longtime coach Dave Doeren on October 24, a day after a 31-28 loss at Stanford dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4.
Contract And Inheritance
Rivers will inherit a 4-5 team with three games remaining, including a rivalry game against North Carolina. The school owes Doeren $9.75 million in base salary on a contract that runs through December 2029. Rivers has started assembling a coaching staff, with former NFL player Jerricho Cotchery expected to join his team at NC State. Rivers’ son, Gunner, a four-star quarterback prospect, is committed to play for NC State.
Upcoming Game
NC State hosts Syracuse at noon ET on Saturday, with interim coach Todd Goebbel still running the sideline. The game will be a crucial one for both teams, as they try to get closer to bowl eligibility. Syracuse will likely try to control the pace and force NC State to commit to stopping the run, according to sports.yahoo.com. The Wolfpack are expected to be missing two of their top three tacklers, which could make it harder for them to defend against the run.
Sources
- Board approval of Philip Rivers' contract to be NC State's football coach expected Friday
- Reports: NC State board expected to approve Philip Rivers as head coach
- NC State To Hire Philip Rivers As New Football Coach | News Radio 1200 WOAI
- Philip Rivers reportedly accepts NC State head coaching job ahead of Friday board vote
- Syracuse Football: what to watch for vs NC State
Photo: Jeffrey Beall (CC BY-SA 3.0)
