Ron Rivera becomes next Carolina Panthers head coach
Ron Rivera has been interviewed many times over the years for the job of head coach. However, the interviewers always find something in Rivera, which they would not like as a feature of the man leading their team. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s always serious.
Or maybe it’s because his middle name is Eugene. Or maybe they’re afraid of having someone with a military background, who would require all players to have a zero cut, and report for practice at 0500 hours every day with severe penalties for being late.
Even if it’s none of the above, the Carolina Panthers became the ninth team to interview Rivera, and the first to hire him as head coach. In the past he has been linebackers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears,
and inside linebackers coach for the San Diego Chargers.
With the Panthers hiring him as head coach, he becomes the second Latino to become an NFL head coach, being of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage. The other was Tom Flores, who coached the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks, before retiring in 1994.
So Rivera has become head coach of the Panthers, Great. However, he has his work cut out for him. There is no time to do petty and unnecessary things such as celebrate or take a vacation. There is too much to do before the start of the regular season.
He was no play, all business when he came to the news conference to introduce himself to the public. He barely even smiled and delivered the point of his speech quickly and simply. It seems as though he knows that taking charge of the NFL’s worst team and
replacing John Fox is going to be very difficult indeed.
"I'm thrilled to death for the opportunity. I almost want to say relief," said Rivera. "When you get into playing you strive for one thing, that's to be a Super Bowl champion. When you get into coaching, you strive to be a Super Bowl-winning head coach.
That's what my goal is."
However, he didn’t look thrilled at all. All business.
Rivera had been a linebacker for “Da Bears” when they won their first and only Super Bowl in 1985, but now he gets to coach a team that is inexperienced, untalented, and personally questionable. Ok, maybe saying “untalented” is a bit harsh. However, the
Panthers lack a head coach that knows what he’s doing, and can utilise the individual talents of players to their maximum potential.
They were 2-14 this season and that was the final straw for owner Jerry Richardson. He fired Fox, who had been with the Panthers for nine years, and concluded the season with an argument about which way the franchise should be going.
However, Rivera is the man to turn the team around and get them playing well. Maybe they’ll even win their first Super Bowl.
"It gives me comfort that he's a former player - a much better player than I ever was," said Richardson. "But the fact that he was a former player and I was a former player, it seemed to be a pretty quick bonding with us."
Richardson had been a receiver for the Baltimore Colts, who became the Indianapolis Colts after moving there in 1984. Rivera is also “thrilled” that he is the second Latino head coach in NFL history. Rivera said, "I'm very proud of the fact that I am of
Hispanic descent. I'm very honored to have this opportunity."
San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner also sent Rivera to be interviewed with his blessing.
"I'm excited for Ron," Turner said. "He has aspired to be an NFL head coach and I expect him to do an outstanding job. Ron is an outstanding communicator. He has worked under and learned from a long list of head coaches. That experience will serve him well.
The Panthers are fortunate to land Ron."
Fortunate, yes, but will Rivera’s experience as defensive coordinator turn the Panthers around? We’ll have to wait until the start of next season find that out.
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