Carolina Panthers: Head coach Ron Rivera fired by team
The Carolina Panthers have decided to go in a new direction.
The Carolina Panthers have made a decision on Ron Rivera’s future. The head coach has been fired by the team. According to multiple media reports, special teams coach Perry Fewell has been named the interim head coach.
In addition to the firing of Rivera, Norv Turner will be named the special assistant to the head coach. Quarterbacks coach Scott Turner will assume the role of offensive coordinator.
No matter what your opinions are of him, there is no doubt that he had a successful career as head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Taking over in 2011, he led the team to three straight first-place finishes in the NFC South from 2013-2015. His most recent playoff appearance was in 2017. That year, the Carolina Panthers went 11-5 and lost to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card Game.
He leaves Carolina with a 76-63-1 record. Perhaps the most magical season in quite some time for the Carolina Panthers came in 2015. That year, they went 15-1 and made it to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2003 season. Losing to the Denver Broncos and that dominant defense, it certainly gave Carolina something to cheer about.
This was the right move for both parties moving forward. The Carolina Panthers were a sinking ship and change needed to be made. It will be interesting to see how the team responds over these last four games. My guess is that they will continue to play hard. If anything, these last four games can serve as building blocks for next season, even though we don’t know what next season is going to look like quite yet.
Secondary coach Perry Fewell has been named interim head coach. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner will transition to special assistant to the head coach, and quarterbacks coach Scott Turner will serve as offensive coordinator.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) December 3, 2019
Per a statement released by the team, owner David Tepper said that the coaching search will begin immediately. You have to wonder what type of coach the team will be looking for as it enters a tricky time in the organization’s tenure. They do not exactly need to be in “win now” mode, but they do have a ton of veterans on the roster who are in the prime of their careers.
Although we may have disagreed with some of his coaching decisions for the end of his tenure, Ron Rivera led the team to success. With several playoff appearances and a Super Bowl appearance under his belt, Rivera certainly led the team through some of its best years in the National Football League. We wish Ron all the best of luck in his next chapter.