Ron Rivera will likely coach the final game of his tenure as the Washington Commanders Sunday versus the archrival Dallas Cowboys, who with a win can clinch the NFC East. In the coming days it’s expected that new owner Josh Harris and his ownership group will begin an exhaustive search to find the franchise’s new coach, who will also be their coach. As the team prepares for the game, Rivera, who came to Washington at the height of scandal that involved former owner Daniel Snyder, reflects on his tenure in Washington.
In four seasons, while the results on the field haven’t been anything to write home about, Rivera has done a very good job in changing the culture. Unfortunately for him, that isn’t enough in a results-based based business, and for that the aforementioned Harris must move on. All week during his media sessions leading to today’s game, Rivera has been asked about his job security, and each time he sounds like someone who knows it ends soon, but he’s also shockingly proud of some of what his regime accomplished.
Franchise In A Better Place?
Heading into Sunday’s season finale, Rivers’s record with Washington is an abysmal 26-39-1, with no winning seasons. He did win the division title in his first season (2020) with a losing record of 7-9. But his tenure just hasn’t translated to wins.
“Well, I’d like to think we’re in a better place,” Rivera told reporters. “Probably a fair way to say it. I most certainly do appreciate my time here, and we’ll see what happens.
“What we’ve done with the culture — I think that was one of the things that somebody asked me the same question —I said the biggest thing more so than anything else I think I kind of like where we are,” Rivera later continued.
Rivera is correct on the culture. It is much better since he arrived, and Snyder sold the team in July. But the on-field product has been downright embarrassing at times, and that falls on his shoulders. He’s made some very questionable moves in the draft and free agency. And having nine starting quarterbacks over a four-year span is never good.
That’s just not a recipe for success, and because of it Rivera will likely be removed of his duties, which included pretty much managing until five weeks ago when he fired then-defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and took over the defense.
Team Reportedly Won’t Can Him On Birthday
Rivera’s 62nd birthday is Sunday, and, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, that firing won’t take place on Sunday. But the expectancy is things will begin to change soon thereafter.
As for Rivera, this will also likely be the final time he’s an NFL head coach, and probably one at any level of football. He came into a tough situation, and while he did the best he could, he’s paid to win football games, and he just didn’t do enough of that.
