Philip Rivers’ brief emergence in the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching search came to an abrupt end. Rivers withdrew his name from consideration, ending what was shaping up to be one of the more unexpected late developments of the NFL coaching cycle, according to NFL Network.
The former NFL quarterback generated buzz after interviewing with Buffalo for its vacant head coaching job last Friday, a position that opened following the firing of Sean McDermott after the Bills’ divisional round loss. For Rivers, the interview marked his first known step toward an NFL head coaching role, following an unconventional post-playing path that included a late-season return to the field with the Indianapolis Colts in December and his current role as a high school coach at Fairhope (Ala.) St. Michael Catholic.
Rivers’ candidacy drew attention less because of his résumé and more because of what he represents. A longtime NFL quarterback, he brought the perspective of a player who spent nearly two decades inside NFL offenses. Buffalo is widely believed to be prioritizing an offensive-minded coach to guide quarterback Josh Allen, and with the 2024 NFL MVP reportedly involved in the interview process, Rivers’ ability to speak quarterback-to-quarterback was viewed as a natural connection point.
That background is built on a long playing career. Rivers spent 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after being drafted by the franchise in 2004, becoming one of the most consistent quarterbacks of his generation and a fixture near the top of the league’s passing statistics year after year. He later played one season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 before retiring, stepping away from the NFL for five years and being named a semifinalist for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in November.
That retirement ended unexpectedly late in the 2025 season, when Rivers returned to the Colts in December after injuries hit their quarterback room. In three starts, he threw for 544 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions, as the Colts went 0-3 in those games.
With Rivers now out of the picture, Buffalo’s search turns back to those coaches with established NFL play-calling experience. Other coaches who have been linked to the Bills’ head coaching job include former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former New York Giants coach Brian Daboll and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.
Rivers’ withdrawal doesn’t appear to signal the end of his interest in coaching at the professional level, but it does suggest that this opening — and this moment — wasn’t the right fit.
Rivers focused on family since his initial retirement, coaching at his son Gunner’s high school in Alabama. Gunner, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2027 and ranked as the No. 5 quarterback nationally by 247Sports, gives Rivers the opportunity to mentor him and stay closely involved in the lives of his other nine children.
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