Main Story: NC State is set to hire Philip Rivers, a high-profile former NFL quarterback whose coaching experience is limited to the high school level. The move could energize the program and its donors, but recent hires of NFL stars with thin coaching résumés have produced mixed results—and often struggled on the field.

By the Numbers
  • Deion Sanders: 46-33 overall; Colorado is 3-6 in 2026.
  • Trent Dilfer: 9-21 at UAB before being fired in 2025.
  • Eddie George: 24-22 across Tennessee State and Bowling Green.
  • Marshall Faulk: 2-4 at Southern; Michael Vick: 5-17 at Norfolk State.
  • DeSean Jackson: 14-8 at Delaware State, including an 8-4 first season.
Yes, But

The track record is uneven, not uniformly poor. Jackson quickly turned around Delaware State, while George led Tennessee State to the FCS playoffs; Sanders also had notable early success. Still, Dilfer’s dismissal and Ed Reed’s departure before coaching a game underline the risks of prioritizing star power over coaching experience and fit.

Bottom Line

Rivers brings name recognition and an immediate emotional connection to NC State, but that alone won’t establish him as a successful college coach. The key test is whether he can build the staff, relationships and day-to-day program needed to turn excitement into results.