Carolina Panthers: Former HC Ron Rivera is turning Washington around
By Dean Jones
Former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is turning things around in Washington.
Things between the Carolina Panthers and Ron Rivera ended on a sour note. This was a shame when one considers how well the team performed under him overall and it might have looked far different had they ended a memorable 2015 season with a Super Bowl victory.
It was never the same after that. The Carolina Panthers regressed steadily that eventually saw Rivera removed from the role in the closing stages of last season – one that eventually ended with a 5-11 record.
Rivera wasn’t out of work for long, with the respected figure appointed by the Washington Football Team. It was the biggest of jobs to take on given their struggles over the years and he conducted himself with aplomb during a period of immense turmoil regarding allegations and the team’s name change before competitive action got underway.
Not to mention Rivera recently finished successful cancer treatment and barely missed a day’s coaching.
Washington’s eye-catching victory at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving sees them occupying first spot in the NFC East, which isn’t exactly something to brag about given the current state of the division.
However, it’s evident that Rivera was the right man for the job and his road to redemption is off to a tremendous start.