Russell Wilson has interviewed for the North Carolina State head coaching job, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The former Seahawks quarterback, who spent three seasons at NC State from 2008-10 before transferring to Wisconsin for his final college year in 2011, is one of the most recognizable names tied to the opening. ESPN also reported Saturday that Philip Rivers, another NC State alum and an eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback, has “engaged in serious discussions” about coaching his alma mater.
NC State moved on from Dave Doeren on Oct. 24 after a 3-4 start. Doeren had been in charge for 14 seasons.
Wilson, 37, stepped away from the NFL in June after a 14-year career and is now working as a CBS Sports analyst on “The NFL Today” this fall.
His playing résumé is the kind that jumps off the page. In Seattle from 2012-21, Wilson became known for his deep ball and his ability to escape pressure, leading the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances and their first title. He also set franchise records, finished in the top four of AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting three times and won the NFL’s 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
Wilson’s career took a different turn after Seattle traded him to Denver in March 2022 in a blockbuster deal. The Seahawks used the draft capital from that trade to help build toward their 2025 Super Bowl-winning team, while Wilson’s path went the other direction.
Since leaving Seattle, he went 17-27 as a starter across three teams in four seasons. He was 11-19 in Denver from 2022-23, 6-5 with Pittsburgh in 2024 and 0-3 with the Giants in 2025 before first-round pick Jaxson Dart took over.
For his NFL career, Wilson finished with 46,966 passing yards, 353 touchdown passes and 114 interceptions. On the ground, he added 5,568 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns, making him the only player in league history to top both 40,000 passing yards and 5,000 rushing yards.
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