The Buffalo Bills interviewed eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers for their head coaching job Friday, a move that has at least one prominent voice in the football world excited about the franchise’s direction.
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark was a panelist on Friday’s episode of “First Take.” Clark expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of Rivers leading the Bills because it would create genuine curiosity and excitement.
“Forgive me for saying this, but I would like Philip Rivers as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills,” Clark said. “I’d actually love it. Why? If you’re not going to move right to Joe Brady, I’d rather you go Philip Rivers and step totally away from these recycled, failed-up head coaches that we are interviewing or that we’re looking at and step into something new.”
Clark pointed to John Harbaugh’s time with the Baltimore Ravens as an example of how Rivers could find success and win games. Before the Ravens hired Harbaugh, he had only been a special teams coordinator, not an offensive or defensive coordinator in the NFL.
Clark said Rivers could delegate the offensive and defensive responsibilities but become an effective communicator to find ways to win.
“I believe that Philip Rivers right now, along with like a young Sean McVay and some of these coaches they took flyers on to be head coaches, would be a very good head coaching candidate.”
The Bills have been searching for their new head coach after they fired Sean McDermott following the team’s 33-30 overtime divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos. Rivers played 16 seasons for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before retiring after the 2020 season.
Rivers returned this season with the Indianapolis Colts after Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon. Rivers completed 63% of his passes for 544 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions but lost all three of his starts.