Ron

Rivera

Rivera announced the move on social media but didn’t specify his job within the program. He is likely serving in an advisory role. Rivera interviewed for both head coaching and coordinating vacancies this offseason. Nothing materialized from the meetings, and he was left without a job once the music stopped. Rivera is a California native and attended Cal for four years before enjoying a lengthy career as a player and coach in the pros. A reunion with his alma mater makes sense as Rivera bides his time for an NFL team to give him another shot.

The Jaguars and head coach Liam Coen have already landed Anthony Campanile as their defensive coordinator, so it’s possible this is some kind of positional coach role. Rivera has had multiple interviews this offseason, as he reportedly spoke with the Jets, Bears, and Raiders regarding their head coaching vacancies. After missing out on those jobs, the former Commanders’ head coach may have to settle a coach or coordinator role if he hopes to find his way back to the sidelines in 2025.

Rivera evidently still holds clout in the NFL despite his unfortunate Commanders stint. The old-school coach would likely employ many of the same conservative concepts as former head coach Antonio Pierce but the Raiders press on nonetheless. The results expected from a coach like Rivera could not be more different than if the Raiders were to hire Ben Johnson.

Rivera has spoken with both the Bears and Jets, but doesn’t seem particularly likely to land a head-coaching job this offseason. Rivera, who celebrated his 63rd birthday this past week, presided over a disastrous four years of Commanders football that ended with zero winning records. That wasn’t exactly his fault — Dan Snyder’s presence made it hard for any shards of sunlight to break through — but the Commanders were disastrous drafters under Rivera and he was at best a conservative defense-first coach who didn’t elevate that side of the ball. He’ll likely have to settle for a defensive coordinator job if he wants to rejoin the ranks this offseason.

Rivera, 62, last coached with the Commanders in 2023 and “led” the team to a 4-13 record. He did coach the Panthers to a Super Bowl and he’s widely regarded as a quality defensive mind. The Jets are also expected to complete an interview with former head coach Rex Ryan, and completed an interview with Louis Riddick for their open general manager job.

Rivera, 62, was let go by the Commanders after leading the team to a 4-13 win last season. Rivera’s downfall in Washington could be largely blamed on the team’s poor roster construction over the years, as the head coach/general manager spent four years piecing together a bottom-five roster that saw all of its first-round picks traded/released before the end of the 2024 season. During his nine seasons as head coach of the Panthers, Rivera led the team to three double-digit win seasons and an appearance in the Super Bowl during the 2015 season, but things didn’t go nearly as well in Washington. Rivera’s only playoff appearance with the Commanders came in 2020, when the Commanders went 7-9 and were the best team in a bad NFC East division. Rivera is unlikely to have full autonomy over any roster he takes over, but he could have one more coaching run in him if he can get the right quarterback in the building.

With the man Rivera would be replacing, new Commanders coach Dan Quinn, plundering his former staff in Dallas, the Cowboys seem primed to make an outside hire at DC. Rivera was an excellent coordinator for both the Bears and Chargers before becoming Panthers head coach, and lamented late in his Washington tenure that he should have been more hands on with the defense. Perhaps the 62-year-old is running out of ideas at the NFL level, but he would be a sensible retread for a team looking to replace a coordinator who proved to be a major presence in the Cowboys’ recent run of success.

The Rams became the second known team to interview Rivera for their defensive coordinator role, as the Eagles also met with him early last week. Rivera has expressed interest in coaching next season, even if it isn’t as a head coach, and could find himself on a sideline in the near future. Several defensive coordinator vacancies remain during this coaching cycle, as teams that filled head coaching vacancies have just begun filling out their staffs.

Rivera is a former linebacker who rose through the coaching ranks as a defensive coordinator. Before being hired as the Panthers’ head coach for the 2011 season, Rivera spent three seasons as the Bears defensive coordinator (2004-2006) and was the Chargers defensive coordinator from 2008 until 2010. He also spent five seasons as the Eagles’ linebackers coach, which would make his hiring somewhat of a reunion between the two sides. Rivera’s final season in Washington was about as bad as it could get. In addition to going 4-13, the Commanders’ defense also allowed 518 points, the third-most by any team in NFL history. Rivera won’t be responsible for roster management, which was arguably the weakest part of his tenure in Washington, and he’s already gone on record saying how much he enjoyed coaching the defense after the Commanders fired Jack Del Rio mid-way through last season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a coach as respected as Rivera earn another opportunity in the league ahead of next season.

According to Rivera, he just wants to make sure whatever job he takes is “the right one.” He also noted that he enjoyed serving as the Commanders’ defensive coordinator over the final five weeks of the season and that, in doing so, he realized how much he missed working in that capacity. Rivera’s Commanders went 4-13 in his final season at the helm. Serving as both GM and head coach, he often appeared out-matched on the field and away from it. Rivera also noted he “would’ve loved a different model” than the coach-centric one he took on under former owner Dan Snyder. Widely regarded as one of the nicest coaches the league has to offer, it’s easy to envision Rivera finding a new role before the start of 2024. With that said, a coaching position feels unlikely, although we can’t rule out anything until teams start hiring head coaches.