NC State has its new football coach, and it's the man most Wolfpack fans were hoping for: Philip Rivers, the program’s next head coach.
USA TODAY Sports’ John Brice reported Sunday, Nov. 8, that NC State is working to finalize a deal to bring the former Wolfpack quarterback back to Raleigh.
While Rivers will be new to the college coaching scene, he’s not new to NC State or coaching in general.
Widely regarded as NC State's greatest player ever, Rivers became a top draft pick after his time in Raleigh and then went on to have a long playing career in the NFL. After his playing days ended, Rivers was named head football coach at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama, in 2021.
Over the last five years, he's helped turn the Cardinals into a consistent
winner and has also coached his son, Gunner Rivers, a four-star NC State quarterback commit, for most of that time.
Rivers’ playing careers at NC State and in the NFL are well known, but what about before that? Just how good of a high school prospect was he?
High school success at Athens High
Playing in the days before recruiting websites and rankings existed, Philip Rivers became a star at a young age, playing for his dad, Steve Rivers. Steve had coached at Decatur High School (AL) for years, and Philip’s mom, Joan, taught there, so Philip grew up around the program.
Steve Rivers went on to become head coach at Athens High School (AL), where Philip followed but didn’t immediately become the team’s starting quarterback. He began his career as a linebacker and finally took over as starting quarterback during his junior year.
During his senior season in high school, Philip Rivers began to gain national attention as he led Athens to an 11-2 record while passing for 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. Athens was 21-3 with Philip as the program's starting quarterback.
After high school, Philip Rivers committed to NC State despite holding offers from notable in-state programs like Alabama and Auburn. Once he got to Raleigh, he started early and would go on to have a prolific college career that led to him being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and having a long NFL career.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philip Rivers' path to NC State began at this Alabama high school
