Philip Rivers Reaches Deal to Become NC State Head Football Coach

N.C. State has reached an agreement to hire former Wolfpack and NFL quarterback Philip Rivers as head football coach, replacing Dave Doeren, who was fired midway through his 14th season, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press. The university's board of trustees must approve the deal, and it is scheduled to take up the matter Friday. Rivers, 44, has coached the past six seasons at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, including his son Gunner, a four-star quarterback prospect committed to N.C. State. He has never coached in college or the pros, and he interviewed for the Buffalo Bills job in January before withdrawing. Rivers is expected to be formally unveiled Monday, November 16.

The right-leaning Daily Mail leads with Rivers' return from retirement as the "grandfather quarterback" for three Colts games last season, quoting him on coming home to the school where he played 51 games, and its headline stresses that his son is set to play quarterback. The left-leaning HuffPost, citing the AP source, leads with the trustee approval process and Doeren's firing. Yahoo Sports repeats the AP account, while CBS Sports says the hire mainly serves donors and boosters, notes ESPN reported that analyst Russell Wilson also interviewed, and doubts Rivers will succeed given former NFL stars' college records. The sides agree on the deal, Rivers' high school coaching and the Bills interview; they differ on emphasis, with the right on his personal comeback and the alternative source on skepticism.