5 Commanders on the hot seat heading into the 2023 season

Ron Rivera - Commanders HC

There was a high chance Ron Rivera would have found himself on the hot seat even if new owners hadn't taken over. But with Josh Harris and his wealthy team of investors at the helm, the head coach has one of the most scolding seats in football entering the 2023 campaign.

Rivera took on a mammoth task when he joined the Commanders. Previous owner Dan Snyder asked the figurehead to shift the culture on the football side of things, going away from lavish free-agent signings and building through the draft with a much more methodical approach.

This took time and has come with moderate success over his first three years at the helm. There's a different spring in Rivera's step now he can focus on football and not much else, but that does not detract from the pivotal need to get things trending in the right direction.

Anything less than a winning record and a potential playoff berth might result in landmark changes from Harris' group. Rivera seems to be working well with the new regime currently as they learn the ropes, but that won't be the case for much longer if the Commanders begin poorly and find themselves out of contention early on.

Rivera is under the biggest microscope imaginable. But with a rejuvenated demeanor and fresh energy across his playing staff, the Commanders might just surprise a few in 2023.