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Assessing the Redskins coaching options: Former Panthers HC Ron Rivera

By Jacob Camenker

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers looks on from the sidelines against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game at Levi's Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers looks on from the sidelines against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game at Levi's Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 06: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers waves to his family after their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers won 34-27. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 06: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers waves to his family after their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers won 34-27. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Rivera’s time with the Carolina Panthers

Rivera spent nine seasons with the Panthers. And during that time, he established himself as a good head coach. He was able to figure out the strengths of his team, build solid staffs, and ultimately, he was able to turn the Panthers into perennial playoff contenders.

Things weren’t always easy for Rivera. His first two seasons didn’t go very well, as the Panthers finished 6-10 and 7-9 respectively. In 2013, the Panthers started off the campaign with a 1-3 record and rumblings of Rivera’s job security began. But from there, Rivera rattled off 11 wins in 12 games and got the Panthers to the postseason.

By that point, Rivera’s defense was really starting to click. The 2013 unit ranked No. 2 overall in the league. Nobody wanted to face them. It was no surprise that Rivera was able to coach up the likes of Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Greg Hardy, and Charles Johnson to create a solid stop unit, but the speed at which he did it was impressive.

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The Panthers ended up being one-and-done in the playoffs that year but they would make the postseason in four of the next five seasons. Defense would continue to be their calling card. And in 2015, they logged a 15-1 record, Cam Newton was the MVP, and the team’s defense helped to power them to the Super Bowl. They ultimately lost to the Denver Broncos, but the season showcased a lot of what Rivera does well.

Rivera is an aggressive play-caller. He takes risks and isn’t afraid to go for it on fourth down. He’s a really good communicator and his players love him. They all played hard for him because they genuinely liked and respected him. Because of that, he understands how to motivate each and every one of his guys.

Beyond that, Rivera’s defensive scheme and ability to develop players is very solid. He does a good job of building talented staffs as well, but the progression of players like Kuechly, Josh Norman, Mario Addison, Kawann Short, and Kurt Coleman under his watch was excellent. And that’s just to name a few.

While Rivera’s tenure in Carolina did recently come to an end, it wasn’t through any fault of his. The Panthers have a new owner and he simply wants to pick his own coach. Rivera was given a chance to coach this season but ultimately, the owner still wanted to pick a new candidate. Thus, Rivera was let go after posting a 76-63-1 record with the Panthers.

And while his 2019 mark of 5-7 may not look impressive on paper, it is. He lost his most important offensive player, Cam Newton, early in the season but helped keep the team afloat for some time with Kyle Allen as the starter.

Once Rivera was ousted after a loss to the Redskins, the Panthers quit on the season. They lost four consecutive games down the stretch and were outscored, on average, by 22.5 points per game. That includes back-to-back 32-point losses to close the season.

In short, Rivera’s time with the Panthers was certainly a success. And his best qualities could have a really big impact on the Redskins if they do hire him.

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