Bills’ bold decision to interview Philip Rivers isn’t just a cool story and could make sense for Josh Allen
The Buffalo Bills are leaving no stone unturned.
From Mike McDaniel to Joe Brady and Brian Daboll, things are heating up for the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching search. ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news about a new candidate who is looking for his first head coaching job in the NFL, and it’s a name that fans across the NFL know all too well: former quarterback Philip Rivers.
The Bills are searching for a new head coach after firing Sean McDermott. There have already been seven reported interviews, either already completed or scheduled. There will undoubtedly be more, with coaches from teams remaining in the playoffs unable to meet with the Bills until they have been eliminated from postseason contention.
The current St. Michael Catholic High School coach is looking forward to bigger and better things. Rivers made a triumphant return at quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 after injuries ravaged the QB room in Indy, proving that he still has some left in the tank. Now, he’s hanging up his cleats for good and looking to get a taste of what NFL coaching is all about.
According to NFL.com, teams have been doing research on Rivers as a potential candidate and taking some background calls. This isn’t just a feel-good story; Rivers is serious about taking that next step, and it appears other teams are more than willing to listen. It happened after the 2024 season as well, but it never materialized into anything. Previously, Rivers had no interest at either the NFL or college level, but that seemed to have changed after his return to action in the 2025 season.
Josh Allen opened up about Rivers’ return to the NFL
Of course, quarterback Josh Allen has to be on board with whatever decision is made in Buffalo. He’s been reportedly sitting in on all meetings with potential coaches, something that has divided the fan base. Nevertheless, Allen has always talked highly of Rivers and his abilities, especially after the triumphant comeback the veteran had this season. In December, Allen opened up about Rivers’ return.
“Didn’t know what to expect, obviously, when he came back, but it’s really awesome,” Allen said. “Just the way that he’s gone back out there. He was deciphering the defense extremely well and making some plays for his team [ . . . ] inspiring to watch.”
Philip Rivers is no joke and teams need to take him seriously
I spoke with A to Z Sports Indianapolis writer Destin Adams about what Rivers brings to the table. Once again, it’s much more than just a feel-good story when it comes to Rivers and his abilities.
“The thought of Philip Rivers becoming an NFL head coach, given his only coaching experience is at the high school level, probably sounds insane to many people. However, I just watched Rivers, at 44 years old, return to the NFL after being retired for five years and play QB for the Colts. So I’m not sure there’s anything Rivers could do at this point that would surprise me.
“Some info for Bills fans I would give, though: If this were to happen, I would suggest going and watching a lot of Colts games over the past couple of seasons, especially 2025. Rivers runs Steichen’s exact offense at his high school. The two speak regularly about ways to improve the system further.
“Rivers’ football IQ is second to none, and I, for one, will never bet against him succeeding in anything he puts his mind to. I think he would be a great leader of men and a great asset to Josh Allen and the Bills, or to any team that would look to add him to their coaching staff as a head coach or in any other position. — Destin Adams, A to Z Sports Indianapolis
Whether or not Rivers ultimately becomes the next head coach of the Bills remains to be seen, but this much is clear: This isn’t a novelty interview. Buffalo said they would approach every possible candidate, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Rivers has earned legitimate respect around the league for what he did in 2025, and his football mind has never been questioned. For a franchise searching for its next leader in the Josh Allen era, Buffalo appears willing to leave no stone unturned, even if that stone belongs to one of the most competitive quarterbacks of his generation.