Philip Rivers to return to Alabama, coach at St. Michael CHS after playing career
FAIRHOPE, Ala. (BVM) — No, his playing days are not over. Philip Rivers will continue his career with the Indianapolis Colts this coming NFL season, fulfilling his 1-year, $25 million contract. But he is thinking to the future, with his next endeavor already planned.
Upon the completion of his NFL career, Rivers will become the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School.
The Cardinals just began competing in varsity football in 2018, and have gone 3-17 under former head coach Scott Phelps. Phelps has been coaching high school football for 38 years and after the conclusion of this past season, decided to step down.
As St. Michael began searching for its next head coach, its relationship with Rivers proved to pay some dividends. Rivers has always dreamed of being a high school football coach, and the Cardinals will help him to satisfy that goal.
“It’s a special day for me and for my family,” Rivers said in a press conference held at St. Michael. “I’ve had two childhood dreams—one was to play in the NFL, and I’ve been doing that going on my 17th year. The other was to be a high school football coach. How blessed am I to live both of these out?”
To make Rivers’ situation even more special is the fact that he grew up playing in the AHSAA at Athens High School. He was coached by his father, Steve, who went down in history as an AHSAA Hall of Fame coach. Being a head coach in his home state of Alabama will make his football career come full circle.
As for the Cardinals young football team, Rivers will be the idealistic mentor. In college at North Carolina State, he broke almost every ACC passing record. As the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, he earned a starting role in 2006 with the then-San Diego Chargers and has never looked back. The new Colts signal-caller currently holds the NFL’s consecutive games started record at 224. He is also sixth all-time in NFL passing yards (59,271) and touchdowns (397).
Rivers knows how to generate success, and how to make it stick. But above all else, he fits the mold for what St. Michael wants in their new coach.
“He is devoutly Catholic, and lives out his faith with an infectious enthusiasm and authenticity that I believe will have enormous influence on our student athletes and in the culture of our school,” said Faustin Weber, the high school’s principal. “We look forward to the day that he, Tiffany and the whole Rivers clan will join us, whenever his career comes to an end.”
In the meantime, St. Michael athletic director Paul Knapstein will serve as interim head coach until Rivers says the word.
