4 key observations from Commanders HC Ron Rivera’s owners’ meeting presser
By Dean Jones
What were some major observations from Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera’s presser at the NFL owners’ meetings?
In a way, Ron Rivera got pretty lucky at the NFL owners’ meetings. His media availability came just an hour or two before two official bids were lodged for the Washington Commanders that reportedly met Dan Snyder’s asking price of $6 billion. Had it been the other way around, the circus would have followed.
Rivera knows how to handle this sort of situation. He did it before with the Carolina Panthers after David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson for a then-record $2.2 billion, but the respected coach is also aware of what might occur if things don’t go according to plan in 2023.
Pressure will grow considerably when a new owner is confirmed. They’ll have their ideas on how to take the organization forward, which might not include Rivera and other influential figures unless legitimate strides are made when the regular season commences.
Despite the sale dodging, Rivera provided a few notable comments. Here are four major observations from the session.
Major Observation No. 1
Taylor Heinicke’s departure from the Commanders
Ron Rivera spoke about the discussions with Taylor Heinicke before he opted to take his chances elsewhere in free agency. The Washington Commanders were eager to bring the quarterback back in some capacity – but his representatives were looking for something the team wasn’t prepared to give and he signed for the Atlanta Falcons, instead.
"“I think we were close with Taylor. There were some things that they wanted that we didn’t want to give unfortunately.”"
Maybe it was money. Maybe it was the role. But either way, the Commanders and Heinicke went their separate ways after a rags-to-riches story that brought life into the organization when all hope seemed lost.