Phillip Rivers is reportedly set to interview with the Buffalo Bills for their open head coach position Friday.
Philip Rivers came out of retirement to help the Indianapolis Colts salvage their season. The 18-year veteran could be sticking around the pros if his interview with the Buffalo Bills goes well Friday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report Buffalo’s interview with the longtime Chargers quarterback.
Rivers had been on a hiatus from playing since the 2020 season when decided to retire after 17 seasons in the league. He played 16 years with San Diego/Los Angeles before signing a one-year deal with the Colts in 2020.
The NC State alum retired following the 2020 season. An injury to Colts’ starter Daniel Jones pushed the franchise to sign Rivers to its practice squad. He started for the first time in almost five years in a Dec. 14 matchup with Seattle. Rivers retired a second time when the Colts were eliminated from playoff contention.
In between his two stints with the Colts, the Alabama native worked as the head coach of St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. Following his retirement, Rivers indicated he would be returning to his high school coaching position.
The decision by Buffalo to bring in Rivers for an interview could change those plans. As pointed out by Schefter, Rivers would be the first head coach since Jeff Saturday in 2022 to earn the title without any previous college or NFL coaching experience.
Why Rivers Could Make Sense For Buffalo
Although an odd fit on the surface, Rivers bond with starting quarterback Josh Allen could be enough to impact the process. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that the 2024 MVP winner and Rivers have a “close relationship” that could be tied to the decision to interview.
Buffalo has the pieces to win now led by Allen at quarterback. He has reached the Pro Bowl on four occasions previously and holds multiple NFL records. He set the single-season record for passer rating in 2021 (149.0). Plus, he currently has the most rushing touchdowns (79) by a quarterback in NFL history.
Allen is coming off a season in which he accounted for total 39 touchdowns and passed for 3,668 yards.
If Rivers ultimately lands the job, there will be plenty of questions about his qualifications. He recently said he believed he could coach in the NFL even with a lack of experience.
“I do think, as humbly as I can say it, that I could coach at this level,” Rivers said earlier this month. “I know enough about the game and about the guys, and from a leadership standpoint, camaraderie, all that comes with it.”
Bills Seeking Replacement For Sean McDermott
Brian Daboll’s name has been linked to the open Buffalo job since the team parted ways with Sean McDermott. The Bills fired McDermott Monday following their playoff loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
The move came after McDermott lead the team for nine seasons. The Bills failed to reach the Super Bowl in any of those seasons despite having Allen leading the offense. McDermott guided the Bills to two AFC championship game appearances but could not lead them past Kansas City.
In all, he wrapped up his time in Buffalo with an 8-8 record in the playoffs.
The apparent connections between Rivers and Allen could be the right recipe for Buffalo. The reigning NFL MVP is expected to be part of the decision-making process as the Bills bring in their next coach.
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