NC State hires Philip Rivers on five-year contract

NC State has hired Philip Rivers as its head football coach on a five-year contract, following approval by the university’s Board of Trustees. The announcement on Friday confirmed the appointment of the former Wolfpack quarterback, who replaces Dave Doeren, the program’s coach for 14 years. Trustees attending the meeting voted in favor of the contract.

The university did not release the contract’s financial terms. A report citing sources put Rivers’ annual salary at an estimated $3.25 million. That figure has not been confirmed by the school, and the full terms remain unavailable publicly.

Rivers said in a statement released by NC State that he was honored to return to the university, where he played from 2000 to 2003. He said he would bring the same effort to coaching that he gave as a player and described the return as coming home.

Athletics director Boo Corrigan said Rivers’ lack of a conventional progression through college or professional coaching positions was not a concern. Corrigan pointed to Rivers’ playing career and his coaching work after it ended, and cited his leadership and connection with the university. Rivers has coached at St. Michael Catholic High School in...