NFL Notes: Philip Rivers, San Antonio, University Of Tennessee

Philip Rivers

Regarding his recent decision to retire from the NFL, Philip Rivers explained that it just felt like the right time. 

“It’s just time,” Rivers said, via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It’s just right.”

Rivers still enjoys the game but said he is excited to begin his coaching career at the high school football level. 

“I can sit here and say, ‘I can still throw it. I love to play,’” Rivers said. “But that’s always going to be there. I’m excited to go coach high school football.”

“What has helped me come to this (decision) is the growing desire to coach high school football,” Rivers said. “That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s been growing. I can’t wait.”

In the end, Rivers said he was grateful to be drafted by the Chargers when they were still in San Diego.

“I would have never picked San Diego,” Rivers said. “Not because I didn’t like it. I didn’t know it. I’m thankful. God put us there.”

• According to the Sports Business Journal, ESPN could approach Rivers about potentially joining as an analyst for the network.
• Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that Rivers would be a candidate to be added to the “Monday Night Football” booth as an analyst if he’s interested in the job.
• ESPN’s plan, as of now, is to bring back the trio of Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick in the booth.

San Antonio

San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg believes their city has the capability of supporting an NFL franchise within the next 10 years. 

“I said I think last year or the year before, I think San Antonio is an NFL city within 10 years, I still stand by that,” said Nirenberg. “And that is because of the evolution that’s happening within the National Football League, the fact that it too is becoming an international league, particularly with its sights on Latin America.”

Nirenberg pointed out that San Antonio has created a corporate base, education, and workforce development model in order to house a team. 

“If there’s not that corporate base, pro sports franchises look elsewhere. And one of the things that has hindered that corporate base for decades in San Antonio is the fact that we didn’t have enough workers to fill the positions that they would want to move here,” said Nirenberg. “That’s why we’re investing in our own people and access to education, access to skills training and workforce development. So when we want to take those jobs that are available, we have the people to do it. And that’s improving our economic trajectory. That’s also improving the prospects for pro sports here.”

Nirenberg said San Antonio’s concerted effort to combat poverty has created a strong enough workforce to attract more employers. 

“That’s how we lift the prospects of our city and help us to evolve from a low wage city to one that has much more strength to build and invest in public infrastructure,” said Nirenberg. “When we have a strong workforce, we begin to attract many more of the employers that become the financial base that ultimately begin to invest in the pro sports franchises.”

University of Tennessee

• Ben Volin reports that at least one NFL offensive coordinator is “very interested” in the Tennessee Volunteers’ head coaching vacancy.
• Volin wonders whether Patriots OC Josh McDaniels would consider taking the route to college coaching.