What happened: NC State and Philip Rivers are expected to talk again soon, with "continued momentum" toward hiring him, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported. Zenitz added that nothing is final. Rivers played quarterback for the Wolfpack from 2000 to 2003 before a long NFL career.

Why it matters: Rivers has coached only at the high school level, and his son is committed to the NC State program. The opening came after the school fired Dave Doeren, who had run the program for more than a decade, following a rough start to 2026. James Madison's Billy Napier is also on the staff's list of potential targets, per CBS Sports.

What to watch: NC State plays Duke on Saturday, and further contact with Rivers is expected in the near future.