Ron Rivera has been the head coach of the Washington Commanders since 2020, but the team is under new ownership now. Typically, when there’s a change in ownership, coaches and general managers aren’t safe unless the franchise is overly successful, yet as we know, the Commanders aren’t one of the NFL’s powerhouses today.
While there are plenty of signs of optimism brimming out of Washington, there are several other signs that suggest a further change may be best. The Commanders enter NFL games today at 4-9 and are on track for their third consecutive season without a playoff berth.
A case could be made that Coach Rivera hasn’t always had much to work with, or at least not more than his NFC East competitors such as the Dallas Cowboys or Philadelphia Eagles, both of whom have franchise quarterbacks. The Commanders may finally have that with Sam Howell, but it may be too little, too late for Rivera.
For several months now questions have clouded Rivera’s future in Washington, with many wondering how long of a leash he has with the Commanders. Yet, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports, multiple sources close to the situation indicate Rivera and several other front office members of the Commanders will be fired at season’s end.
As Russini states, Commanders owner Josh Harris initially had a plan of allowing Rivera to coach the full 2023 season in Washington, and move on afterward. She reports that vision is “not a secret anymore.”
While Rivera’s days as a head coach in Washington may be coming to an end, it’s possible we see him resurface elsewhere. Rivera has a career win-loss record of 102-99-2 across 13 NFL seasons.
Related: NFL coaching hot seat 2023: Ron Rivera, Bill Belichick the next to go