Ron Rivera, finishing off his fourth season as head coach for the Washington Commanders, has been terminated from his position less than a day after a 38-10 loss to the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.
Rivera’s coaching record of 26-40-1 (.396 winning percentage) includes back-to-back last-place finishes in the tough NFC East division, although the team won the division in his first year as coach, where he suffered serious health concerns due to cancer. During his years with the Carolina Panthers, Rivera won Coach of the Year twice and even went to the Super Bowl in 2015.
While many fans on Twitter expressed relief in the end of his tenure, others expressed pride and appreciation in him for coaching the team during particularly rough stretches including back to back last place finishes in the NFC East division. His firing is another step of new owner Josh Harris’ rebuilding strategy.
A search committee including business mogul and NBA superstar Magic Johnson and former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers will begin the hunt for a new coach. The Commanders have already requested permission to interview Rams’ defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Ravens’ associate head coach Anthony Weaver for their head coaching vacancy.
“To deliver upon our ultimate goal of becoming an elite franchise and consistently competing for the Super Bowl, there is a lot to do and first we must establish a strong organizational infrastructure led by the industry’s best and most talented individuals,” said team owner Harris in a statement.
Harris emphasized that there will be a “thorough search process” to find a coach who will “guide this franchise forward.”
“I consider these decisions to be among the most critical I make for the franchise — attracting exceptional talent, empowering them to lead and holding them accountable,” Harris said. “I look forward to being personally involved throughout this process.”
The Informer has previously covered aspects of Rivera’s tenure as coach of the Washington Football Team/Washington Commanders; read more here and here.