Philip Rivers is a unique individual in modern Indianapolis Colts history. He initially spent the 2020 season with the team and decided to retire after that one season.
But his Colts tenure was not done yet as he joined the team late in the 2025 season following the season-ending injury suffered by Daniel Jones. He did not win a game, yet it was a fun sight to see the veteran back on the field chasing a playoff berth.
Rivers is most associated with the Chargers franchise, at least in NFL terms. His most prominent association to some fans, however, may come from his time at NC State. He had a ton of success with the Wolfpack and saw the program retire his number before he even left for the NFL and became the No. 4 overall pick in 2004.
Rivers and his alma mater are back in the news cycle this week as he is officially joining the Wolfpack as its new head football coach. News broke earlier this week, with the school making the news official Friday.
Rivers Continuing to Coach
The veteran quarterback was the head coach at an Alabama high school when he decided to rejoin the Colts last season. Thus, he was already on to his second career when he briefly came out of NFL retirement.
He is now making the jump to the FBS level and will do so with plenty of goodwill behind his name. This is the return of a program legend, and one who can share NFL experiences with players. His reputation should also mean he doesn’t face immense pressure to win right away.
NC State fired longtime head coach Dave Doeren earlier this season. He never eclipsed the nine-win mark in a single season and failed to get the Wolfpack into true contention both in the ACC and on the national scale.
The true test will be to see how Rivers responds to coaching collegiate players. Yet his NFL experience should make him a coach who earns respect from players right away.
Rivers’ Legacy in Indy
Rivers was a hired hand for one season in 2020 before showing up as a potential savior late last season. He led the Colts through the bizarre 2020 COVID season and even led the team to the playoffs.
Yet he was only a temporary fix at quarterback and the team has not been back to the postseason since. The fact he was called out of retirement in 2025 helps show the current state of the organization and its quarterback situation.
He will now try to bring NC State back to relevance. And one day, the Colts may call Rivers about one of his players when it comes time for the NFL Draft.
Former Colts QB Philip Rivers Officially Lands College HC Job