Philip Rivers makes final decision on Buffalo Bills after quarterback was linked with shock head coach role

PHILIP Rivers has withdrawn from the running to be the next Buffalo Bills head coach.

Rivers, 44, was identified as a surprise candidate for the NFL position last week.

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Philip Rivers has withdrawn from the running to be the Buffalo Bills’ new head coachCredit: Getty

However, the legendary quarterback will not be continuing in the interview process.

Rivers has withdrawn from the running to be the next Buffalo Bills head coach.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Rivers feels the timing is not right for him.

He was interviewed by Buffalo on Friday, days after the team fired Sean McDermott.

Rivers is close to Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, who is said to also be sitting in on interviews with general manager Brandon Beane.

Despite having no coaching experience at the NFL level, he was reportedly viewed as a serious candidate.

The former Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback is said to have enjoyed the process.

But while he is said to have expressed confidence in his ability to coach at the NFL level, he is currently more motivated to return to coaching his son, Gunner, at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala.

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Gunner Rivers is a consensus four-star quarterback and the No. 1-ranked player in Alabama for the 2027 class, per 247 Sports.

The school began the 2025 campaign 13-0 before losing in the state semifinals.

Rivers Sr. said at the time: “Those are all big ‘what ifs,’ but I do think, as humbly as I can say it, that I can coach at this level.

“I know enough about the game, about the guys from a leadership standpoint, camaraderie, all that comes with it.

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“I’m looking forward to going back home and getting back with those guys, getting back with my family.

“Gunner’s senior season is coming up, and we’ve been to back-to-back semifinals, and hopefully we can get over the hump this year.

“So, I don’t have any of those NFL things on my radar, but certainly nothing that I would shut down before it even became a possibility.”

Gunner is one of 10 children eight-time Pro Bowler Rivers has with wife Tiffany, with their eldest being born in 2002 and youngest born three years ago.

He was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, who traded him to the then-San Diego Chargers.

Rivers moved with the team to Los Angeles in 2017 and was then traded to the Colts in March 2020, signing a one-year, $25million deal.

In January 2021, he announced the end of his 17-year NFL career and soon became a high school football coach with St Michael Catholic, where he remains today.

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