In a stunning move, the Buffalo Bills decided to interview former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers for their head coach vacancy. Buffalo had let longtime head coach Sean McDermott go after the Bills lost to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. But Buffalo didn't seem to have a clear idea of what came after McDermott.
To be sure, the Bills' job is one of the more desirable open gigs in the NFL. The reason is that quarterback Josh Allen plays for the team. Allen is trending toward a Hall of Fame career, and he will still only be 30 years old when the 2026 season begins.
A team with Allen is going to win its fair share of games simply because he is on the team. Whether Buffalo can win a Super Bowl is another question. Winning a championship will be the expectation for whoever the team's next head coach is.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen has great respect for former Indianapolis Colts QB Philip Rivers
That could be Philip Rivers. While Rivers has never been a coach in the league, he was a very smart quarterback throughout his career. He was physically diminished for the Colts this season after coming out of a five-year retirement, but he was still somewhat efficient simply because he could outthink his opponents.
He could easily translate that to being a coach in the NFL, and likely be a good one. For the Bills, team owner Terry Pegula has stated that Josh Allen will have a lot of input into who the new coach will be. The quarterback has already mentioned how much he respects Rivers in a post-game press conference for Buffalo after Rivers had been re-signed by Indianapolis.
"Philip's one of the greatest to ever play the game," he said. "He's an unbelievable football player, smart as any quarterback to play in this league, and we'll see how it works out. I'm rooting for him because, again, another great human being."
Does that mean that Josh Allen would be happy with Philip Rivers replacing Sean McDermott? Maybe. Allen might like having a future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback directing him during games. The connection between the two should be immediate and long-lasting.
While Rivers has been coaching the St. Michael High football team in Alabama, and the difference between high school and the NFL is obviously ridiculously great, he is one of the few former players who could probably make the jump directly into being a head coach.
The Buffalo Bills are built to win now, and a former Indianapolis Colts quarterback could lead them to a championship. That would be less stunning than Rivers getting an interview in Buffalo in the first place.