Why the Bills are interviewing Philip Rivers (yes, really) to replace Sean McDermott

Daniel Chavkin

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Why the Bills are interviewing Philip Rivers (yes, really) to replace Sean McDermott image

The Buffalo Bills are exploring all options in their head coaching search, which now includes a future Hall of Famer.

On Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bills will interview former Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers for the head coaching position. Rivers has spent most of the past five years as a high school coach but played three games for the Colts during the 2025 season.

Hiring Rivers would be one of the more unorthodox decisions in NFL history, and it’s likely the Bills will hire someone with more experience. Still, it’s notable that Rivers is on the list.

Here’s a breakdown of the Bills’ interest in Rivers.

MORE: Tracking the Bills coaching search

Why are the Bills interviewing Philip Rivers?

Rivers impressed teams when he came out of retirement to join the Indianapolis Colts for the end of the 2025 regular season. Rivers hadn't played in a game since the 2020 season, but was able to step right in and give the Colts a chance to win against three of the best teams in the league.

While Rivers announced that he is retiring for good now, he also said he would consider coaching in the NFL.

"It’s nothing that I would shut down before it even became a possibility," he said. "I do think, as humbly as I can say it, that I can coach at this level."

Rivers had spent his retirement years coaching his son at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama. Between that small amount of coaching experience, and the face that Rivers was a starting quarterback for 15 years, Rivers is more prepared for this role than most former players.

MORE: Ranking the best Bills coaching candidates to replace Sean McDermott

What is Philip Rivers' connection to Josh Allen?

Rivers and Allen never played on the same team, though they did face each other twice. In 2018, Allen made his first NFL start against Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers, who won 31–20. Then, in 2021, Allen earned his first playoff victory against Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts — a game that marked Rivers’ final appearance until the 2025 season.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Rivers and Allen do have a "close relationship."

MORE: Why did the Bills fire Sean McDermott?

Could the Bills actually hire Philip Rivers?

The Bills are eligible to hire Rivers if they want to go that route. There are no rules that would stop Buffalo from hiring someone who just retired and has never coached a game in the NFL.

Now, whether they will hire Rivers is a different story, as it is likely Buffalo goes in a different direction. But the team certainly can do it.

MORE: What's next for Sean McDermott?

Philip Rivers coaching experience

Since his initial retirement in 2021, Rivers has been the coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama, where his son is the quarterback. He spent five years in that role before coming out of retirement to play for the Colts in 2025.

Still, Rivers did have a lot of say in offensive gameplans when he was the Chargers' and Colts' starting quarterback.

MORE: Brandon Beane explains decision to make head coaching change

Has anyone ever gone from high school coach to NFL head coach?

No coach has ever gone directly from the high school ranks to becoming an NFL head coach, and only twice has someone been hired as a head coach without any prior NFL or college coaching experience. Those cases were Norm Van Brocklin, who was hired in 1961 as the last full-time head coach without previous experience, and Jeff Saturday, who served as the Colts’ interim head coach at the end of the 2022 season.

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