Philip Rivers is stepping away from the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching search, opting to prioritize family and timing over a leap into the NFL sidelines-for now.
Rivers, who interviewed with Buffalo last Friday, was a surprising but intriguing name in the coaching mix. While he doesn’t bring traditional NFL or college coaching credentials to the table, Rivers has been leading the program at St.
Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, since 2021. That role isn’t just about Xs and Os for the former Pro Bowl quarterback-his son is the team’s starting QB and heading into his senior season.
That’s a pivotal year for any young athlete, and clearly, it’s a moment Rivers isn’t ready to miss.
According to reports, Rivers came away from the Bills interview with a positive impression. He enjoyed the process, but ultimately felt the timing wasn’t right for him or his family to make the jump to the NFL coaching ranks. And given the demands of an NFL head coaching job-especially one in a high-pressure spot like Buffalo-that decision makes a lot of sense.
Rivers, 44, actually made a brief and unexpected return to the NFL this season, coming out of retirement to suit up for the Indianapolis Colts. It was a short stint-just three starts-filling in after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
The Colts didn’t notch a win during those games, going 0-3, but Rivers still showed flashes of his trademark grit. He threw for 544 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions in that stretch-respectable numbers for a guy who had been out of the league for five years.
As for the Bills, their coaching search continues following the dismissal of Sean McDermott. Buffalo has already cast a wide net, interviewing a mix of experienced names and rising minds. That list includes Anthony Lynn, Brian Daboll, Grant Udinski, and current offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
And there’s more on the horizon. With the Denver Broncos now out of the playoff picture, the Bills are expected to bring in Davis Webb for an interview.
Webb, just 31 years old, has a strong connection to the franchise. He spent three seasons on the Bills’ roster from 2019 to 2021 and remains close with quarterback Josh Allen.
He’s currently serving as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach and is viewed as an up-and-comer in coaching circles.
So while Rivers won’t be making the leap to Orchard Park this year, the Bills’ search remains active-and intriguing. They’re clearly open to thinking outside the box, and whoever steps into the role will inherit a talented roster with high expectations.