Key Takeaways
- Russell Wilson reportedly interviewed for NC State’s head coaching job on Nov. 3, eyeing a return to his former college program five months after retiring from the NFL.
- Fellow Wolfpack alum Philip Rivers also wants the job but plans to finish his current season coaching St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama.
- Wilson, who joined CBS Sports as an NFL analyst after retirement, would jump into running a college program with no reported college head coaching experience as NC State seeks Dave Doeren’s replacement.
Russell Wilson just retired from the NFL, but he may already be preparing for his next football comeback. This time, he wouldn't be wearing a helmet.
The former Super Bowl champion was interviewed on Tuesday, November 3, for the head coaching job at NC State, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Wilson, who spent three seasons as a quarterback for the Wolfpack before transferring to Wisconsin, is reportedly in contention to replace Dave Doeren, who was fired Oct. 24.
And he's got some familiar competition for the job: fellow former NFL quarterback and NC State alum Philip Rivers.
That's right. Two of the school's most accomplished quarterbacks could be competing for the opportunity to run the program.
Wilson, 37, played at NC State from 2008 through 2010 before finishing his college career at Wisconsin in 2011. The Seattle Seahawks selected him in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, setting the stage for a 14-year career that included 10 Pro Bowl selections, 46,966 passing yards, 353 touchdown passes, and a Super Bowl XLVIII championship.
Now, just five months after announcing his retirement, Wilson is considering a job that would put him back in college football for the first time in 15 years—this time calling the shots instead of taking them.
The timing is particularly interesting considering how Wilson's retirement unfolded. The former Seahawks quarterback wasn't necessarily out of NFL options when he walked away. The New York Jets offered him a contract to back up Geno Smith, his former teammate in Seattle, but Wilson was also weighing a move into television.
"I still know I can play ball at a high level, but also I have an opportunity to do TV," Wilson told the New York Post in May.
He chose the latter, joining CBS Sports as an NFL analyst alongside James Brown, Nate Burleson, and Bill Cowher. But the NC State interview suggests Wilson is at least open to exchanging the broadcast studio for a coaching staff.
Rivers, meanwhile, has already gotten a head start on the coaching side.
The 44-year-old former Chargers and Colts quarterback played for NC State from 2000 to 2003 and is currently in his sixth season coaching St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. He's led the Cardinals to the state playoff semifinals in each of the past two seasons, although he has never coached at the collegiate level.
According to ESPN, Rivers has informed NC State that he wants to finish the current high school football season, adding another consideration to the school's search.
Wilson would be taking a different route. While his NFL résumé speaks for itself, he has no reported college head coaching experience. His candidacy would represent a significant leap from playing and analyzing football to managing an entire college program.
The interview comes during an already eventful year for Wilson. He and Ciara celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in July, announced they're expecting their fifth child in September, and recently appeared on the cover of Town & Country discussing their philanthropic work through the Why Not You Foundation.
