Everett Ellis · SB Nation Wed, November 4, 2026 at 1:01 AM UTC · 1 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first year of Russell Wilson's retirement has taken him to the NFL on CBS desk, but year two could see him back on the sideline.
The long-time Seattle Seahawks quarterback interviewed for the North Carolina State head coaching job on Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. This comes just a few days after it was reported another former NC State quarterback, Philip Rivers, would be pursued for the opening.
Though either one of the former passers would be unconventional hires by the Wolfpack, Rivers at least has some coaching experience, having spent five seasons as the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama after his first retirement. He's also soon to have ties to the current roster with his son, Gunner, committed to play for the Wolfpack.
Wilson, meanwhile, has spent the entirety of his brief post-playing career as a part of CBS' Sunday pregame show. But, as an NC State alum and a prominent figure in the football landscape, he could be an attractive head coaching candidate in the NIL era of college football.
In three seasons with the Wolfpack, Wilson threw for 8,545 yards and 76 touchdowns across 36 games, and ended his career by leading them to a win over West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl. He transferred to Wisconsin in 2011 before being drafted by Seattle in 2012.
Source: Sports
