The Buffalo Bills' head coaching search is heating up - and just took an unexpected turn.
After already completing three interviews and lining up four more this weekend in Florida, the Bills have added one of the most intriguing names yet to their candidate pool: longtime NFL quarterback Philip Rivers.
Yes, that Philip Rivers.
According to multiple reports, the 44-year-old Rivers is interviewing for the Bills’ head coaching vacancy - a surprising development considering he only recently came out of retirement to suit up for the Colts. After stepping away from football in 2020, Rivers was back under center last month, filling in for an injured Daniel Jones in Indianapolis.
But coaching at the NFL level? That’s a whole new chapter.
Rivers, of course, has remained close to the game. Since retiring, he’s been the head coach at St.
Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where he’s quietly built a powerhouse. Over the past five seasons, the Cardinals went 41-15 under his leadership, reaching the state semifinals in both 2024 and 2025, and finishing this season with a 13-1 record.
That’s not just a solid run - that’s the kind of success that turns heads, even at the professional level.
When asked earlier this month about whether he’d consider coaching in the NFL, Rivers didn’t exactly slam the door shut.
“I do think, as humbly as I can say it, that I could coach at this level,” he told ESPN. “I know enough about the game and about the guys, and from a leadership standpoint, camaraderie, all that comes with it.”
And if there’s one thing his late-season NFL comeback taught him, it’s that life can change fast.
“There was a Sunday afternoon, I had no thought of being in Indianapolis the next day,” he said. “Then, 24 hours later, I was here.”
That mindset might be exactly what the Bills are looking for right now.
Buffalo’s front office, led by newly promoted president of football operations Brandon Beane, is casting a wide net in its search. Beane emphasized earlier this week that the process is wide open - no preconceived favorites, no limitations on age, experience, or background.
“We’re vetting names,” Beane said. “The list is not final, and there’s still four teams playing, too, that could have some candidates.
But yeah, it’s an open process. There is no frontrunner-old, young, former coach, first-time coach.
We’re opening every door. We got to find the right guy for this team to help get us over the hump.”
Rivers, who played 18 seasons in the NFL and threw for 425 career touchdown passes, has never coached at the college or pro level. But football is in his blood.
His father was a high school coach, and that influence is what drew Rivers to the sidelines after his playing days. Now, he’s potentially on the verge of making a massive leap - from coaching teenagers in Alabama to leading an NFL franchise.
One person who could have a major say in that decision? Josh Allen.
According to reports, the Bills’ franchise quarterback is sitting in on all the interviews and will have significant input in choosing the team’s next head coach. Allen has spoken highly of Rivers, especially after his surprise return to the field in December.
“Phillip is one of the greatest to ever play the game,” Allen said. “He’s an unbelievable football player. Smart as any quarterback really to play in this league.”
During his brief stint with the Colts, Rivers threw for 544 yards in three starts, tossing four touchdowns and three interceptions. It wasn’t vintage Rivers, but it showed he still had the mental sharpness and leadership presence that made him a respected voice in every locker room he entered.
Now, he’s part of a crowded and competitive coaching pool in Buffalo - a list that includes current Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former OC Brian Daboll, ex-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, former Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, and Commanders run game coordinator Anthony Lynn.
Rivers may not have the coaching résumé some of those names bring, but what he does have is 18 years of NFL experience, a deep football IQ, and a reputation as one of the most respected competitors of his era.
The Bills are clearly thinking outside the box - and if Rivers ends up on the Buffalo sideline next season, it would be one of the most fascinating coaching hires in recent memory.