Players in the 2025 Polynesian Bowl will get the thrill of being coached by former NFL head coaches Gary Kubiak and Ron Rivera. The pair, who squared-off in Super Bowl 50, have been named as the head coaches for the annual all-star high school football game played in Hawaii on January 17, 2025.
Kubiak and the Denver Broncos won that 2015 Super Bowl matchup when they beat Rivera and his Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Next January, Kubiak will serve as head coach for Team Makai and Ron Rivera will lead Team Mauka. During their high school days, Kubiak played quarterback at St. Pius X in Texas, while Rivera was a three-sport athlete at Seaside High in California.
Aside from leading the Broncos in 2015 and 2016, Kubiak was the Houston Texans head coach from 2006 through 2013. He also won two Super Bowl rings during his time as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator from 1995 to 2005.
“I am thrilled to serve as a head coach for the 2025 Polynesian Bowl,” said Kubiak, who was also the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator in 2014. “What an amazing opportunity to coach tomorrow’s NFL stars in paradise!”
Rivera, who was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2015, was the Panthers head coach from 2011 to 2019. Over the last three years, he was the head coach of the Washington Commanders.
Rivera also served as defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears (2004-2006) and San Diego Chargers (2008-2010).
“It’s an incredible honor to coach the nation’s top high school football players at the Polynesian Bowl,” said Rivera. “This is a wonderful way to celebrate culture and play the game we love.”
The pair join an impressive list of former Polynesian Bowl head coaches with NFL experience.
Related: Team Makai wins 2024 Polynesian Bowl
Last year’s game was led by Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer. Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil coached in the second Polynesian Bowl 2018 against the late Terry Donahue, who served as the San Francisco 49ers General Manager and Director of Player Personnel.
Others NFL coaches or players who have coached in the Polynesian Bowl are June Jones (2017 & 2022), Steve Spurrier (2020), Doug Williams (2022) and Jim Zorn (2019).
The Polynesian Bowl features 100 of the nation’s top ranked junior and senior high school football players. The game will be at Kūnuiākea Stadium on the Kamehameha Schools Kapālama campus. It will be broadcast live and in primetime on NFL Network.
