Philip Rivers reflects on high school coaching career amid NC State rumors: 'Heck of a six years'

Philip Rivers and St. Michael Catholic High School saw their season end on Friday, Nov. 6, with a 42-35 loss to Glenwood High in Alabama.

Rivers was emotional after the loss, which comes as no surprise − the North Carolina State legend is the Wolfpack’s top candidate to replace Dave Doeren as head coach. Was Friday night’s loss his last game at St. Michael Catholic?

“Shoot, I don’t know that,” Rivers told reporters after the game. “I don’t know that. It has been a heck of a six years, I know that. Just trying to be where my feet are right now. Really was looking forward to this playoff run and it all comes to an end tonight. We’ll see what the future holds.”

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Rivers confirmed in his postgame interview that he met with North Carolina State earlier in the week. USA TODAY Sports reported Nov. 4 the longtime NFL quarterback had also started building out a potential coaching staff.

“We met and visited,” Rivers said. “I’ve known some of those guys for a while now. It was good to visit with them but there’s really nothing else to report at this point.”

Rivers’ son, four-star NC State commit Gunner Rivers, also made his return to the field in the loss after missing multiple weeks due to injury.

Rivers reflected multiple times on if St. Michael Catholic’s loss was his last game with the school he has coached for the last six years since he first retired after the 2020 season. He chose his words carefully, pausing a few times to collect his response.

“If it were to be the last time out here, a lot was accomplished,” Rivers said. “Certainly, if that were to be the case, it will be left better than it was six years ago.”

All signs point to North Carolina State making an outside-the-box hire as its next head coach, albeit one that’ll undoubtedly be popular among the fan base. Maybe the former ACC Player of the Year can turn around the Wolfpack just like he did with his team at the high school level.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philip Rivers reflects on high school coaching career amid NC State rumors: ‘Heck of a six years’