Commanders News: Darnell Wright, Ron Rivera, DB visit and new stadium
By Dean Jones
Commanders HC Ron Rivera on Dan Snyder
There’s not going to be many tears shed among fans when Dan Snyder finally sells the Washington Commanders. Something that should happen soon with a reported deadline of May 22 set by other NFL owners.
A new ownership group will have its own ideas about how best to take the franchise forward. These might not include head coach Ron Rivera, who suffered a similar fate in 2019 when he was fired in-season by the Carolina Panthers after a difference of opinion with new owner David Tepper.
When speaking with Ben Standig of The Athletic about Snyder’s impending departure, Rivera was quick to highlight the many positive elements of their relationship. And most of them had absolutely nothing to do with football-related matters.
"“I get cancer. He’s at the … doctor’s office. OK, he went through cancer. And he explained to me, ‘Hey, you’re going to be fine. Just hang in there.’ You know, he called people at Johns Hopkins. He called people at (Cleveland Clinic) and got their opinion. He didn’t have to do that. But he did that. He made sure (Rivera’s wife) Stephanie understood. When my mom passed away, he was … there. ‘Ron, take the jet. You go be with the family.’ He allowed me to miss a day of practice to be there for my father.”"
The first thing Rivera wanted to do upon joining the Commanders was shift the culture. Something that got Snyder’s seal of approval and was even brought up in their immediate discussions before the respected figure agreed to become Washington’s head coach.
"“Maybe he found the light. Maybe he understood. Maybe when he called me and had me sit down with him when he was interviewing me … and said, ‘I need you to change our culture,’ he was sincere and meant it. Why can’t we go off of the person he is right now?”"
One cannot overlook the scandal, allegations, and everything in between surrounding Snyder as he gets set to ride off into the sunset with $6 billion or more in his pocket. But based on Rivera’s comments, he’s earned the coach’s respect no matter how he’s generally perceived around the league.