Philip Rivers: High School Coach In Waiting
Former NC State quarterback Philip Rivers isn't ready to retire from the NFL just yet. But when he is, the newly-signed Indianapolis Colt has a job waiting for him as a high school football coach in his home state of Alabama.
Rivers announced at press conference Friday morning that he will take over the program at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala., upon his retirement as a player.
Whenever that happens to be.
Until then, St. Michael athletic director Paul Knapstein will serve as the school's interim coach. Rivers will take over when his NFL career ends.
“It’s a special day for me and my family,” Rivers said at the announcement. “I will probably get a little emotional. I had two childhood dreams. One was to play in the NFL and I’m now going into my 17th season. The other was to be a high school football coach as my dad was. How blessed am I to be able to live both of those out.”
RIvers' father Steve coached at Athens High School in Athens, Ala., where Philip was an All-State quarterback before moving on to a record-setting college career with the Wolfpack.
I’ll never forget 1 of my 1st chats with Philip Rivers. It was 2012 & here’s this all-time great QB in his prime explaining how his lifelong dream is to coach HS football just like his dad
— Ricky Henne (@RickyHenne) May 8, 2020
Watching him tear up today making that dream come true is specialpic.twitter.com/arjbdpNdah
He was the starter from the first game as a true freshman, throwing for 397 yards and three touchdowns in a double overtime win against Arkansas State -- a debut that sent him on his way to becoming one of the best and most durable quarterbacks in ACC history. The 2003 ACC Athlete of the Year finished his college career with 13,484 assing yards and 95 touchdowns in a conference record 51 straight starts.
Rivers went on to become the fourth player picked in the 2004 NFL Draft. After spending two seasons as a backup to Drew Brees with the San Diego Chargers, he began a streak of 14 straight seasons without missing a game.
In March, he signed a one-year contract with the Colts worth a guaranteed $25 million. But he didn't rule out the possibility of playing beyond 2020 before making the transition from player to coach.
“I think it is a one year at a time deal,” he said. “You get to 38 and play as long as I have … I’ve expressed publicly and the Colts have said too they hope it’s more than one year. But we take it one year at a time. I love playing. When that time does end, you will get the same passion and work ethic at this school and community that I’ve poured into my career.”
St. Michael's program was started in 2017 and is 3-18 in his history. Rivers' developed his connection to the school, at which he has conducted football clinics in each of the past two years, through family friends.
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