Super Bowl-winning quarterback reportedly a candidate to be NC State’s next football coach

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WBTV) - A Super Bowl-winning quarterback is reportedly a candidate to be the next head football coach at NC State.

Russell Wilson -- who played for the Wolfpack from 2008-2010 -- interviewed for the job on Tuesday, Nov. 2, according to ESPN.

It was not immediately clear how serious talks are between Wilson and the university, especially with NC State having seemingly zeroed in on Philip Rivers -- another former Wolfpack star.

Both Wilson and Rivers are apparently vying for the head coach position left open after NC State fired Dave Doeren on Oct. 24.

Todd Goebbel was named the interim coach for the rest of 2026. Goebbel won in his first try, on Oct. 31, when the Wolfpack trounced Cal, 31-10 in Raleigh.

ESPN’s Nov. 2 report was the first time Wilson’s name was publicly mentioned as a potential hire. He wrapped up his 14-year NFL career in 2025, and has spent 2026 in a TV analyst role with CBS Sports.

During his three years at NC State, Wilson threw for 76 touchdowns and ran for another 17 scores. He ranks in school history in touchdown passes, behind only Rivers.

Unlike Rivers who played all four years at NC State, Wilson transferred to Wisconsin for his final collegiate season in 2011.

The Seattle Seahawks drafted Wilson in 2012, and he went on to play in two Super Bowls and won Super Bowl XLVIII. He stayed with Seattle until he was traded to the Broncos in 2022. He then wrapped up his career with the Steelers and Giants.

Wilson was seemingly not immediately on the radar for the Wolfpack -- at least not publicly -- like Rivers was.

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Rivers’ name was mentioned almost immediately after news broke that Doeren was fired. The longtime Charger and Colt does have some coaching experience, albeit only at the high school level. Rivers was, though, interviewed for the Buffalo Bills’ head-coaching job in the 2026 offseason. He reportedly withdrew.

NC State will almost certainly at least consider options outside of Rivers and Wilson, but if either were to get the job, it would a splash hire.

Either Rivers or Wilson would bring eyeballs (and therefore dollars) to the Wolfpack. In the era of NIL, more money to the program could be huge as NC State looks to rise to the top of what has generally become a wide-open ACC in recent years.

For now, though, the Wolfpack has a season to finish. NC State will round out the regular season with winnable games against Duke, Syracuse, Florida State, and rival UNC.

NC State needs to win only two of its final four games to become bowl-eligible for the 12th time in the past 13 years.

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