Ranking potential replacements if Commanders cut ties with Ron Rivera

Is it time? Just three games into the season? Is it really time? Of course it is. These are the Washington Commanders under Daniel M. Snyder – and it’s always time to be looking for your next head coach.

Snyder has owned the franchise since 1999 and in that time, he has had ten head coaches. This ain’t exactly Pittsburgh Steeler-style stability. He inherited his first coach, and has bounced back and forth between venerable commodities like Joe and Marty, and first-timers like Jimmy Z and Jay. There was the celebrity dalliance with the old ball coach. Fact is, none, other than Jay Gruden, have made it past four years, and none, other than Joe Gibbs, left on his own terms.

Ron Rivera has just begun his third season. He is approaching the median life span of a head coach in the Snyder era. And his team is coming off some embarrassing performances.

Yeah, it’s time.

Here is a list of names – ranked in my own personal order of preference – for Daniel Snyder’s eleventh head coach for your Washington Commanders:

Ranking potential Ron Rivera replacements for the Commanders

15. Shane Waldron, Seahawks OC

I know what you’re thinking. Seattle has the least dynamic offense in the league. I don’t fault Waldron for that. I fault his boss Pete Carroll. Before coming to Seattle in 2021, Waldron served his apprenticeship under wunderkind Sean McVay. He was in Washington in 2016, then went with McVay to the Rams where he was the passing game coordinator. He also began his coaching career under that guy Belichick up in New England. Waldron is 43, and if you are a bandwagon-jumper looking for the next young offensive genius, Waldron just might your guy.

14. Ejiro Evero, Broncos DC

Did you watch the Broncos/49ers game last week? Both defenses were dominant. Eviro is 41 and in his first year as a coordinator. Normally, that might scare me off a bit. But his pedigree is stellar, coaching defenses for San Fran, Green Bay, and the Rams for the past decade. It is highly likely that the next coach will come from the ranks of current coordinators – most do these days. And though there are probably more candidates coming from the offensive side of the ball, I personally value defensive coaches a little more highly. (SPOILER ALERT – I will be coming back to this at the end.)

13. Joe Lombardi, Chargers OC

Another offensive guy, Lombardi is 51. Though I will have a few names on here even older, that is a factor. 51 is not exactly ancient, but you do want a guy who – hopefully – will stick around for a decade or more. The argument for Lombardi is that he worked closely with Matthew Stafford and Drew Brees throughout the 2010s, and now he is helping to develop Justin Herbert. This man has a very good track record with the most important position on the team. Who better to develop Sam Howell. Oh, and in case you were wondering – he is indeed part of THAT Lombardi family. Vince was his grandpa.