Some players are meant to be coaches.
That is the case for 128 former NFL players. That's the number of former pro players who are coaching at the high school level during the 2026 high school football season. That list includes former San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers.
Rivers is entering his sixth season as the head coach for St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama. That includes a brief hiatus when he left to quarterback the Colts last season.
The former NFL star now has the opportunity to coach his son, Gunner Rivers, in his final high school season.
Here's a look at some former NFL players coaching high school football:
Notable former NFL players who coach high school football
- C.J. Anderson, Benicia (Benicia, Calif.): Former Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams running back took over the Panthers in February 2025. Rushed for 3,497 yards and 22 touchdowns and is a Super Bowl 50 champion.
- Phil Dawson, Midland Christian (Midland, Texas): Dawson's 21-year NFL career resulted in 441 career field goals made, the ninth most in NFL history.
- Trent Dilfer, Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.): Dilfer returned to Lipscomb Academy following a brief stint as the UAB football head coach. The former NFL QB led the Mustangs from 2019 to 2022.
- Robbie Gould, Saint Viator (Arlington Heights, Ill.): The 2006 NFL Pro Bowler has been the head coach at Saint Viator since 2024, following a successful run at Rolling Meadows.
- Tim Hasselbeck, Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.): Hasselbeck traded in his ESPN career for coaching with his brother, Matt, at Ensworth.
- Cornelius Ingram, Hawthorne (Fla.): The former Florida Gator and Philadelphia Eagle briefly stepped down as the head coach at Hawthorne for a month in 2026 but quickly returned. He has led the Hornets to three state championships in 10 years as head coach.
- Jon Kitna, Lakota East (Liberty Township, Ohio): Following a 15-year NFL career, Kitna has served as the head coach for Lakota East since 2023. 29,745 yards and 169 touchdowns in the NFL.
- Jeremy Maclin, Kirkwood (Mo.): Following a nine-year NFL career with 514 catches for 6,835 yards and 49 touchdowns, Maclin returned to coaching at his alma mater in 2025.
- Carson Palmer, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.): After winning the Heisman in college and being a three-time Pro Bowler, Palmer led Santa Margarita to a CIF State Open Division championship and was named the 2025 MaxPreps National Coach of the Year in his first season.
- Rashaad Penny, Long Beach Jordan (Long Beach, Calif.): The former first-round running back was named the head coach at Long Beach Jordan in May.
- Philip Rivers, St. Michael Catholic (Fairhope, Ala.): Rivers, the NFL Hall of Fame QB, has been coaching the program since 2021. He left high school coaching briefly in 2025 to play for the Colts.
- Eric Weddle, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego, Calif.): The Super Bowl LVI champion took over as the head coach at Rancho Bernardo in 2023. He had 29 interceptions and 9.5 sacks in his NFL career.
- The full list of the 128 former NFL playerscurrently coaching at the high school level can be found here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philip Rivers, among 128 former NFL players
coaching high school football
