The Buffalo Bills appear to be thinking well outside the box when it comes to who will replace Sean McDermott as head coach. Reports emerged that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers interviewed for the position on Friday.
Rivers, 44, came out of retirement and returned to Indianapolis as its signal caller when quarterback Daniel Jones went down with a torn Achilles mid-season. He had last played an NFL snap in 2020 and was eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration this year.
Buffalo came up agonizingly short of yet another Super Bowl appearance after losing to the Denver Broncos in controversial fashion during the Divisional Round. Despite eight consecutive postseason appearances with McDermott, the team must realize QB Josh Allen's window isn't infinite and want to bring in an individual who can take him and the rest of the roster to the promised land.
Could Rivers really be that individual? His resume shouldn't be dismissed out of hand just because he'd have an unorthodox ascendancy to the position.
Why Philip Rivers may be exactly what the Buffalo Bills need at head coach
Buffalo could benefit from a guy like Rivers leading the team because he's got a unique perspective on the game and invaluable connections. Sure, his only true coaching experience is as a high school head coach (13-1 in 2025 with St. Michael Catholic) but with 17 years under his belt as an NFL passer, he's learned a thing or two.
Rivers essentially had the same privilege as Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady in his final decade with the San Diego Chargers, having a significant say in the strategy, play design and play calling on offense. He studied under four different coordinators, two of which went on to be head coaches, and those connections would prove mighty useful when building a staff.
Despite his age and experience, Rivers won't be able to put the Bills on his back. He's going to have to build an all-star staff and calling in guys like Frank Reich, Nick Hardwick, Chris Harris and more he has a history with could create an Avengers-like team of expertise (okay, more like the Thunderbolts* but you get what I'm saying).
Let's also not forget Rivers has an intimate history with Allen. The two share an agent and Rivers apparently tutored Allen ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft. What better way to take the next step than picking the brain of a Hall of Fame-worthy QB with an unquenchable passion for the game?
Rivers' chances of landing the Bills job are slim, let's be honest. But the fact that the team is leaving no stone unturned and exploring unique options shows it's serious about ending its 32-year Super Bowl drought.