As St. Michael quarterback Gunner Rivers officially capped his junior season with Super All-State honors, his father and Cardinals head coach, Philip Rivers, emerged as a serious NFL head coaching candidate following an interview with the Buffalo Bills, keeping the Rivers family in the headlines just as they were in 2025.

SUPER ALL-STATE

St. Michael’s star quarterback Gunner Rivers was named to the 2025 Alabama Sports Writers Association Super All-State team — becoming the only player in Baldwin County honored to the team for this past season.

The Super All-State team consists of the 11 best players in the state regardless of classification or position. Awards for Mr. Football, Back of the Year and Lineman of the Year were also announced, with Rivers finishing as a finalist for 4A Back of the Year.

Rivers threw for 3,176 (6th in AL) yards with 46 touchdowns (2nd in AL) and just five interceptions in 2025. The junior led the Cardinals to a program-best 13-1 record and the first undefeated season in program history. He was selected as a first-team All-State quarterback in 4A as well.

Now heading into his senior year, Rivers will be the highest-ranked player in Alabama for the class of 2027 for a third straight season. The Cardinals signal-caller has several Power 4 offers with NC State and Auburn currently the favorites to land him.

PHILIP RIVERS: NFL COACH?

Gunner’s historic junior season unfolded as his father and head coach, former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers, briefly returned to the league in 2025. After five seasons away, Rivers started three games for the Indianapolis Colts late in the year as the team fell short of a playoff spot.

That return opened the door to the professional coaching ranks, as NFL Network senior insider Ian Rapoport reported late in the regular season that Rivers could emerge as a candidate for NFL head coaching openings. Following the New Year and the firing of Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills announced they completed an interview with Rivers this past Friday.

On Sunday morning, Rapoport told the NFL Gameday Morning crew that the Bills are "seriously considering" Rivers for their head coaching vacancy. This all came after Rivers told Indianapolis media in his parting press conference that his intentions were to be back on the St. Michael sidelines in 2026. 

Rivers withdrew his name from consideration for the Bills on Monday morning, a move that surprised much of the football world after he appeared to be the leading candidate for the job.