NC State football is going through a disappointing 2026 season, one that saw head coach Dave Doeren get fired in October. Now, as the Wolfpack play out the string on the rest of the year, it has already settled on its next head coach.

Legendary NFL quarterback Philip Rivers, an NC State alum, is expected to be the next head coach in Raleigh. The two sides are working to finalize a deal, and Rivers has already started contacting potential front office and staff candidates, per On3 Sports.

Rivers is one of the program legends at NC State. He played there from 2000-03 and threw for more than 13,000 yards and 95 touchdowns in his career. He went on to play 18 NFL seasons and will have an argument to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he is eligible.

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After retiring from the NFL, Rivers became a high school football coach at St. Michael Catholic in Alabama. He had a 44-16 record as the head coach there in five seasons before returning to the NFL as a player briefly in 2025.

This story will be updated.