Ron Rivera

HC/GM Rumors: Gase, Lynn, Panthers, Shurmur

December 29th, 2019 at 11:37am CST by Rory Parks

Black Monday is tomorrow, so let’s take a look at the latest coaching and GM rumors from around the league:

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given that neither man was really believed to be on the hot seat, but Jets HC Adam Gase and Chargers HC Anthony Lynn will both be back in 2020, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (h/t NFL Update on Twitter).
We learned yesterday that the Panthers would seek to interview Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, which David Newton of ESPN.com confirmed today. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report believes Rhule would leave Baylor if the right opportunity presented itself, despite signing a lengthy extension with the school back in September (Twitter link).
Despite speculation that the Panthers could look to move on from GM Marty Hurney, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic says owner Dave Tepper remains intent on keeping Hurney, and Hurney wants to stay (Twitter link). Tepper does want to bring in an assistant GM, and Joe Person of The Athletic offers a list of potential candidates. The problem, as NFL insider Adam Caplan observes, is that Carolina could be blocked from interviewing candidates under contract with other teams unless the Panthers’ gig comes with decision-making responsibilities (Twitter link).
We heard earlier today that the Browns are doing their due diligence on HC candidates, which isn’t a good sign for Freddie Kitchens. As Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets, the team wanted to see modest progress from Kitchens this year, which is why a loss to the Bengals on Sunday afternoon could seal his fate. But for all his faults, Kitchens remains well-liked in the building, so he’s not a goner just yet. We also heard today that Browns GM John Dorsey may be on the hot seat.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reiterates yesterday’s report that Ron Rivera is high on the Redskins‘ wish list, and that Rivera could have a new job as soon as tomorrow (video link). However, other clubs also want a crack at Rivera. One of those clubs, the Cowboys, will almost certainly move on from Jason Garrett if they are eliminated from playoff contention today, and Rapoport names Rhule, Lincoln Riley, and Rivera as names to watch for Dallas’ expected vacancy.
In the same report, RapSheet says Giants ownership is split on head coach Pat Shurmur, with Steve Tisch wanting to move on and John Mara not quite convinced. A win over the Eagles today could save Shurmur’s job.
Dan Graziano of ESPN.com confirms (via Twitter) that former Texans GM Rick Smith is definitely a name to watch if the Redskins move on from Bruce Allen, which they are expected to do. Graziano says it’s still unclear as to whether Smith wants to return to a front office, contrary to a report from last month, but if he is, Redskins owner Dan Snyder will be interested. Mark Maske of the Washington Post hears that Smith, who lost his wife to cancer 11 months ago, is not quite ready to return to football (Twitter link).

Head Coach Search Updates: Rivera, McCarthy, Panthers, Candidates

December 28th, 2019 at 8:21pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera will not be unemployed for long. An earlier report noted that Washington had “strong interest” and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that sources close to Rivera expect an agreement to form quickly and could even come together in the next couple days. Aside from Washington, Rapoport notes that some teams that are considering firing their head coach (like the Giants) have Rivera circled as a top target if they do create an opening.

Rivera served as the head coach in Carolina from 2011-2019 and led the team to a 73-63-1 regular season record and a 3-4 postseason record. A linebacker in his playing days with the historic 1980s Bears defenses, Rivera has always been a defensive-minded coach. Prior to his time with the Panthers, he had served as a linebackers coach with the Eagles and Chargers and as the defensive coordinator for the Bears and Chargers.

Here’s some more notes from the NFL coaching carousel:

As the Panthers look to replace Rivera, former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has emerged as a one of the leading candidates to take over in Carolina. According to Rapoport, McCarthy has already interviewed with the Panthers twice and did very well. Given the strong reputation of Rivera, a candidate like McCarthy, with a long resume (that includes a Super Bowl title) may be more desirable to franchise brass. With that said, Rapoport noted that Carolina plans to interview some younger coaches as well including Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy among others.
While some teams have already begun their head coaching searches, the hiring search process will heat up as soon as teams complete the regular season. For an in-depth primer on the wide variety of coaches that could be in line to become head coaches this season, take a look at Rapoport and Tom Pelissero’s detailed list of coaches to know, which includes short descriptions on the most prominent names. The list breaks candidates into categories from former NFL head coaches to first-timers and even examines some college coaches.

Latest On Redskins’ HC Plans, Front Office

December 28th, 2019 at 2:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

After little emerged on the Redskins front for weeks following Jay Gruden‘s firing, the struggling franchise is dominating the early-weekend news cycle. Bruce Allen‘s role as team president is not safe, with a Black Monday dismissal being considered.

The Redskins are considering firing their 10-year front office czar, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports, adding that Allen may have a chance to remain with the organization in a non-football role. That would be an interesting setup given Allen’s tumultuous tenure in Washington, but Dan Snyder is pondering widespread changes to his football operations department.

Replacement options for Allen include ex-Texans GM Rick Smith and former NFL executive-turned-TV analyst Louis Riddick, La Canfora adds, noting Snyder has done research on a few personnel execs. Smith resigned from his Houston post after the 2017 season but is open to returning to the league. Riddick worked with the Redskins from 2001-07, serving as a scout and pro personnel director. He subsequently held the same role with the Eagles.

As for Washington’s HC opening, Snyder has “strong interest” in Ron Rivera, per JLC. The longtime Redskins owner is also interested in Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, ex-Jets HC and current Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles, longtime Bengals HC Marvin Lewis and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. These are consolation prizes, though, with La Canfora reporting Snyder’s primary hope is to work out a trade for Mike Tomlin. Snyder is not optimistic about such a deal. The prospect of bringing the Virginia native to Washington surfaced two-plus months ago.

The prospect of bringing aboard a defensive coach opens the door to Washington sticking with top offensive incumbents Bill Callahan and Kevin O’Connell. Snyder is high on both his interim HC and first-year OC, according to La Canfora. Callahan expressed interest in staying on, though it’s not known if he would stick around under another head coach, and O’Connell has been the primary Dwayne Haskins developer this season. Snyder was the driving force behind the Redskins’ Haskins pick, overruling Gruden.

Allen has not excelled in Washington, but neither have most of the head coaches under Snyder. The Redskins have not made the playoffs in consecutive seasons under the 21st-year owner.

Redskins Interested In Ron Rivera

December 28th, 2019 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Redskins may have experience in mind during their latest coaching search. In addition to their Marvin Lewis interest, the franchise looks to have Ron Rivera as a target.

Rivera has generated interest for a quick rebound, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeting the recently fired Panthers HC has told people he expects a deal to come together quickly. This does not necessarily mean a pact with Washington. The nine-season Carolina leader has drawn interest from the Redskins, but Rapoport notes other teams are in the mix as well. “Significant buzz” around the league has emerged connecting Rivera to the Redskins, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

Dan Snyder has coordinated with a search party that is not believed to have included members of the Redskins’ front office. Team president Bruce Allen does not look to be a lock to return, which makes sense given the state of the franchise. It would be interesting to see the Redskins move on Rivera so quickly, however, being days away from requesting interviews with active coordinators. But the former NFC champion coach may be in demand.

Rivera, 57, went 76-63-1 as Panthers HC, guiding the franchise to three NFC South championships and four playoff berths. The Redskins have gone 62-96-1 during Allen’s 10-year tenure and have won 10 games in a season once in the past 14 years.

Snyder has sought experience previously, hiring Mike Shanahan in 2010, Marty Schottenheimer in 2001 and bringing back Joe Gibbs in 2004. However, Snyder went with an offensive coordinator — Jay Gruden — in 2014 and hired Seahawks QBs coach Jim Zorn in 2008. The Steve Spurrier two-year experiment occurred this century as well. None of these coaches provided the sustained success Gibbs did during his 1980s-’90s tenure with previous ownership.

NFC East Notes: Manning, Redskins, Cowboys

December 9th, 2019 at 12:05pm CST by Rory Parks

Giants QB Eli Manning said back in April that he wants to continue playing in 2020, and as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes, the soon-to-be 39-year-old has not deviated from that stance. Manning, who was benched in favor of rookie Daniel Jones following New York’s Week 2 loss to Buffalo, is slated to start for the Giants on Monday night due to Jones’ ankle injury. And, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Jones’ injury could force him to miss 2-4 weeks, so Manning could end up finishing out the season for Big Blue.

Manning’s contract with the Giants expires at the end of the year, and he knows he will need to go elsewhere if he wants to continue playing. However, he doesn’t want to just collect a paycheck, he wants to start, and he wants to start for a team that has at least some chance of cracking the postseason. Given that the 2020 QB market could be unusually strong, Manning may have a tough time finding such an opportunity, though his odds of doing so would improve dramatically if he plays well down the stretch.

Now for more from the NFC East:

The Redskins will be looking for a new HC this offseason, and Albert Breer of SI.com says several high-profile candidates have told Washington they will not go there if the structure of the organization does not change. It’s unclear exactly what that means, though head of football operations Bruce Allen would definitely scare away some candidates if he remains. Redskins owner Dan Snyder is considering parting ways with Allen, and he may have to do even more to attract the type of big-name coach that he is looking for.
The Cowboys have real interest in Urban Meyer as their next head coach, and Jon Machota of The Athletic offers a list of candidates that Dallas should take a look at. Meyer is at the top of the list, and despite the fact that the Saints just gave Sean Payton a healthy extension, Machota expects Jerry Jones to “try anything possible” to bring Payton to Dallas. Machota also names the recently-fired Ron Rivera as a possibility, though Rivera will surely attract plenty of interest from other clubs in need of an HC.
Redskins RB Derrius Guice is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Packers, and he may be done for the season.
Giants DL Leonard Williams believes he should be paid “top-tier money,” and if he doesn’t get it from New York, he is prepared to test the open market in 2020.

Latest On Panthers’ Plans, Ron Rivera

December 4th, 2019 at 7:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some personnel executives around the league and on the NFL periphery believed David Tepper would make changes after last season, and Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson notes GM candidates were viewing the Panthers as a job that would be open earlier this year. Tepper opted against firing Ron Rivera and second-stint GM Marty Hurney after last season but was discussing over the summer plans to revamp the organization, beefing up its analytics commitment, Robinson adds. Tepper confirmed Tuesday he plans to hire an assistant GM, and Robinson adds the second-year owner is expected to bring in multiple high-ranking execs to contribute to the operation. In the wake of Rivera’s ouster, Hurney’s future with the team is obviously uncertain. New scouts are expected to be brought aboard soon as well, though Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes no scouts or execs were fired along with Rivera on Tuesday.

Here is the latest out of Carolina, coming off the firing of a two-time coach of the year.

Having been run by defensive coaches throughout their 25-year history — from Dom Capers to George Seifert to John Fox to Rivera — the Panthers are expected to pursue an offensive-minded leader, David Newton of ESPN.com writes. Tepper may not be leaning toward hiring a college coach. Although he’s not dead-set against it, Newton adds the tougher transition for those coaches points to Tepper leaning in another direction. The Panthers are expected to pursue a younger coach who will support analytics more than Rivera did, per Newton. That’s certainly not dissimilar to how most of the HC-needy teams proceeded during this year’s hiring period.
Rivera broke the news to the coaching staff he had been fired, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Although Tepper praised Norv Turner and his son Scott, it’s certainly possible the organization moves on from the father-son tandem after their two-year run in Charlotte. Norv Turner will move from Carolina’s offensive coordinator to special assistant to the head coach, with Scott set for a four-game run as the team’s OC.
The most famous player Rivera coached expressed his support for the only NFL HC he’s known (Twitter link). Cam Newton, who will undergo surgery to repair his foot injury, is not certain to be back with the Panthers in 2020. One year remains on his contract.
Rivera revealed he wants to stay in coaching. The former Bears linebacker has been on an NFL sideline in each season since 1997.

Ron Rivera Plans To Continue Coaching

December 4th, 2019 at 9:08am CST by Zachary Links

Ron Rivera is out as the coach of the Panthers, but he’s not done with the NFL. The well-respected defensive guru told reporters that he “absolutely” plans to continue on the sidelines.

[RELATED: Panthers Fire Ron Rivera]

“Get ready for the next chapter,” Rivera said. “I’m kind of excited.”

Rivera figures to be one of the more sought-after coaching candidates of the offseason. At least, for the teams who are not dead-set on younger coaches of the Sean McVay mold. And, even though Rivera could comfortably retire at this stage, he’s still itching to achieve his ultimate dream of winning a Super Bowl.

In eight-plus seasons, Rivera coached the Panthers to a 76-63-1 regular season record, a 3-4 playoff record, and, most notably, a Super Bowl appearance. One can only help but wonder how things would have played out this year if the Panthers – and quarterback Cam Newton – managed to stay healthy.

Panthers Fire Ron Rivera

December 3rd, 2019 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have fired longtime head coach Ron Rivera. The search for a new head coach will begin immediately, with secondary coach Perry Fewell serving as the interim lead.

“I have a great deal of respect for Ron and the contributions he has made to this franchise and to this community,” owner David Tepper said in a press release. “I wish him the best. I will immediately begin the search for the next head coach of the Carolina Panthers.”

The shakeup also will see offensive coordinator Norv Turner transition to special assistant to the head coach as quarterbacks coach Scott Turner moves to offensive coordinator.

Rivera became just the fourth head coach in Panthers history when he was hired in 2011. He went on to amass a 76-63-1 regular season record, a 3-4 playoff record, and, most notably, a Super Bowl appearance. The Panthers did not win it all under Rivera’s watch, but he was a beloved figure nonetheless.

Midway through a trying season, the Panthers opted for a change.

“We are going to take a comprehensive and thorough review of our football operation to make sure we are structured for long-term sustained success,” said Tepper. “Our vision is to find the right mix of old-school discipline and toughness with modern and innovative processes. We will consider a wide range of football executives to complement our current football staff. One change that we will implement is hiring an assistant general manager and vice president of football operations. We all must recognize that this is the first step in a process, but we are committed to building and maintaining a championship culture for our team and our fans.”

Rivera was one of the major faces of the franchise, alongside one-time MVP quarterback Cam Newton. After the dust settles from the sideline shakeup, it’s quite possible that the QB will also follow him out the door. Newton is among the league’s most dangerous and electrifying signal callers when healthy, but he has been sidelined all year and is now far removed from his best work.

For the time being, Newton and GM Marty Hurney are still in the picture. Rivera, meanwhile, stands as one of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL and could easily find work elsewhere, if he wants to continue coaching.

Extra Points: Rivera, Hodges, Giants, Green

December 1st, 2019 at 8:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Panthers suffered an absolutely brutal loss Sunday, losing at home to the Redskins as massive favorites. Carolina is effectively eliminated from the playoff hunt, and Ron Rivera’s seat is starting to heat up. The ugly loss was “likely more than enough to prompt new owner David Tepper to make big changes in January,” writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Rivera was rumored to be close to getting fired after last year, but his staff was given one more season to prove themselves. Tepper only bought the team before last season, so he doesn’t have any particularly deep ties to the coach who guided them to a Super Bowl a handful of years ago.

It might not help or matter much, but the circumstances have been far from ideal for Rivera in 2019. Cam Newton was never healthy and barely played, and he’s had second-year UDFA Kyle Allen under center for most of the year. The Panthers went on a hot streak after Allen was inserted, but have since completely collapsed. For his part, Rivera insisted after the game he wasn’t worrying about his job status per Bill Voth of the team’s official site (Twitter link), although there’s not really much else he can say at this point. Assuming he gets fired it’ll be interesting to see what kind of interest he gets on the market, considering he’s had real success in the past. Notably, offensive coordinator and former NFL head coach Norv Turner would surely become available as well if Rivera is let go.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Steelers benched Mason Rudolph and are rolling with Devlin Hodges at quarterback, and they picked up a crucial win over the Browns on Sunday. Mike Tomlin’s decision to go with Hodges was “was well received throughout the organization,” La Canfora writes in a separate piece. JLC also adds that some people in the building were surprised Tomlin didn’t initially stick with Hodges after he won a game over the Chargers while Rudolph was sidelined with a concussion. He notes that the staff loves Hodges’ scrambling ability, and that he’s been compared to Gardner Minshew by some in the organization. Pittsburgh is apparently pretty high on Hodges and barring injury, it doesn’t sound like we’ll see Rudolph again any time soon.
Speaking of embattled coaching staffs, the Giants’ is up against it right now. Rumors of a potential Pat Shurmur firing continue to percolate, and the Giants got routed by the Packers on Sunday as pictures of a mostly empty stadium went viral online. The staff has yet another problem on their hands now, as cornerback Janoris Jenkins publicly blasted the way he’s being used after the game.”You’ve got to use your weapons. I’m the only one in the league that doesn’t travel (w/the opponents top WR). I don’t understand why,” Jenkins said via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter links). “It’s common sense. I’m on the left side of the field all game. I get two passes thrown my way. All the top corners in the league travel. Rabbit doesn’t travel anymore.” Jenkins is apparently clashing with defensive coordinator James Bettcher. Jackrabbit has one year left on his five-year, $62.5 MM deal after this one. He could be cut following this season for only around a $3.5MM penalty, but he’s still by far the best player in their secondary.
Some slight positive news to pass along in the continuing A.J. Green watch, as the Bengals receiver said “everything’s trending up” with his troublesome ankle, per Ben Baby of ESPN.com. The talented wideout still didn’t give any concrete timetable for a return, saying “when my ankle feels good enough to play, then I’ll play.” Green returned to practice a few weeks ago and appeared to be returning imminently, but then suffered a setback. Even without their top offensive option, Cincy managed to pick up their first win of the season Sunday.

Latest On Ron Rivera’s Future With Panthers

November 24th, 2019 at 10:01am CST by Rory Parks

Panthers owner David Tepper recently spoke with the media about the state of his team, though he specifically told reporters that he would not answer questions about head coach Ron Rivera. However, the fact that Tepper held the impromptu session at all led some members of the organization wondering about Rivera’s future, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes.

Tepper was considering major changes last year, but he ultimately stuck with the status quo for 2019. The hedge fund billionaire purchased the club in 2018 and focused more on the business side of operations during his first year in charge, but he was clear about his desire to eventually become more involved in the football side. As such, 2019 was always going to be a defining year, and, in the wake of Carolina’s recent slump — including last week’s blowout loss to the 3-7 Falcons — Tepper is once again mulling a significant shakeup.

Rivera is under contract through 2020, though Tepper may be inclined to part ways in favor of a head coach with an offensive background and an analytics-based approach. Indeed, sources close to Tepper say that, barring a major turnaround, the owner is likely to make a change at season’s end.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) confirms that the manner in which Rivera’s 5-5 Panthers close out the season will go a long way towards determining his future in Carolina. Regardless of whether or not Tepper fires Rivera, the team will have to figure out what to do with QB Cam Newton, though Tepper said that no decision would be made in that regard until Newton is fully healthy.

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