Philip Rivers is in serious talks to coach NC State, but no deal is close

Philip Rivers has held serious discussions with NC State about coming home to coach the Wolfpack, ESPN reported Saturday, though sources said a deal is not close. Rivers, 44, has told the school he wants to finish his current season at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama.

NC State fired Dave Doeren on Oct. 24, and Rivers became the favorite early in the search. He has not met with school officials in person, according to ESPN, but there has been outreach about building a front office around him if he takes the job.

Rivers did not deny the interest after St. Michael lost 53-32 to Foley on Friday night. "I mean, shoot, NC State's special to me," he told AL.com. "You never say never, but there's nothing imminent."

The case for him is easy to make in Raleigh. Rivers threw for 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns from 2000 to 2003, broke nearly every school and ACC passing record, and led the Wolfpack to four straight bowl games. Then he played 17 NFL seasons, all but one with the Chargers, and came out of retirement last year to start three games for the Colts. His son Gunner is already committed to NC State, though a knee injury ended his high school season.

The case against him is just as plain. Rivers has never coached a college game. He is in his sixth season running a high school program, which he has taken to the state semifinals the last two years, and in January he interviewed for the Bills head coaching job before pulling out. Running a Power 4 program in the age of revenue sharing and the transfer portal is a different job than calling plays on Friday nights.

That is why the front office talk matters. If NC State pairs Rivers with an experienced general manager and staff, the school is betting on his name, his recruiting pull in the Southeast and his feel for quarterback play. If it cannot, the search could move on.

What to watch: How long St. Michael's playoff run lasts, since Rivers wants to finish it before any move, and whether NC State waits for him or turns to another candidate.