Philip Rivers' post-retirement chapter keeps getting wilder. Fresh off an unexpected three-game return to the Indianapolis Colts, the 44-year-old is now interviewing for the Buffalo Bills head coaching job, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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Rivers had been coaching high school football at St. Michael Catholic in Alabama when Indianapolis called, pulling him back into the NFL after a four-year layoff. The Colts were drawn to his familiarity with a system similar to Shane Steichen's offense, making the transition relatively seamless.
The results were mixed. Taking over for Daniel Jones after his season-ending Achilles injury, Rivers went 0-3 while throwing for 544 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Now a grandfather, he still showed enough command and leadership to catch the attention of teams exploring coaching options. Earlier this month, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Rivers was already drawing interest as openings emerged.
If Rivers advances in Buffalo's process, he will need to win over quarterback Josh Allen, who is reportedly sitting in on interviews. The two share history. Rivers lost his final playoff game in 2021 to Allen, giving the Bills star his first postseason win.
Buffalo fired Sean McDermott following a divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos, ending a nine-year run that produced a 98-50 regular season record. Other reported candidates include Mike McDaniel, Brian Daboll and Joe Brady.
Hiring a coach with no NFL coaching experience would not be unprecedented. The Colts once turned to Jeff Saturday, and the Vikings famously hired Norm Van Brocklin in a similar leap decades earlier.
For Rivers, going from high school coach to NFL quarterback to head coaching candidate in a matter of weeks already feels like a career encore. Whether it turns into a full-time act remains to be seen.
