Ex-Broncos QB Russell Wilson Interviewed for FBS Head Coaching Job

Ex-NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, 38, has expressed interest in taking on the head coaching role at North Carolina State University. This comes less than a year after his retirement from professional football. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday night that Wilson interviewed for the position, adding to a list of former NC State and NFL quarterbacks in the running for the job, including Philip Rivers.

Wilson, a 10-time NFL All-Pro, played for NC State between 2008 and 2010 before transferring to the University of Wisconsin in 2011. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft, and went on to play for the Seahawks for 14 seasons, including leading them to their first Super Bowl championship in 2013. Wilson retired from the NFL in June and has since been working as an analyst for CBS Sports.

The Jacksonville Jaguars' former head coach, Nathaniel Hackett, was fired by the Denver Broncos after just one season in 2022. He was replaced by Sean Payton, a former New Orleans Saints head coach and Super Bowl champion. However, Wilson and Payton reportedly had a contentious relationship, resulting in Wilson going 11-19 over two seasons with the Broncos before being released.

Despite this, Wilson had a successful stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, leading the team to a 6-5 record and making the AFC Playoffs. He subsequently signed with the New York Giants on March 27, 2025, just a month before they drafted Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.