It's been a long time since Ron Rivera was the Carolina Panthers head coach. His departure in 2019 was followed by a constant stream of hiring failures by team owner David Tepper. The franchise descended to rock bottom and fans were pining for the glory days of the mid-2010s.
Rivera went to the Washington Commanders. He was given free rein to run the football operation with owner Dan Snyder bordering on a recluse amid serious allegations about the workplace environment. Things didn't go according to plan over his four seasons. His fate was sealed once Josh Harris' ownership group bought the franchise.
No offer was immediately forthcoming for Rivera despite his experience. He took time away from the coaching side of things and worked as an analyst. He's now ready to dip his toe in the water once again, gaining interviews with the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, and Chicago Bears, who recently hired Ben Johnson.
One analyst believes Rivera will land elsewhere.
Analyst projects Ron Rivera to land the Dallas Cowboys head coaching job
Maurice Moton from The Bleacher Report projected Rivera to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. They've not shown any interest as yet, but he believes this fits what enigmatic owner Jerry Jones normally does with his hires despite the bravado surrounding Deion Sanders.
"The Dallas Cowboys haven't requested an interview with Ron Rivera, but he's made his rounds during the hiring cycle and could get a request from owner Jerry Jones. In Dallas, Rivera wouldn't have to worry about the quarterback position, with Dak Prescott entrenched as the starter. He could use his expertise to strengthen the Cowboys defense, which gave up the second-most points and fifth-most yards this past season. With the swirling rumors surrounding Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Rivera would be a conservative option with low buzz. That said, the Cowboys brought in retreads with three of their last four head coaching hires: Mike McCarthy, Wade Phillips and Bill Parcells."Maurice Moton
This would be a bombshell of epic proportions. Jones is taking his time, getting a lay of the land before making his play. But with the Cowboys already playing from behind after taking their time to dispose of Mike McCarthy, time is of the essence.
Getting a third opportunity to become an NFL head coach seems like a stretch for Rivera. He did a fantastic job on the Panthers before things fizzled out. Less so in Washington, but working for Snyder in such a toxic environment was never going to be easy.
There could be time for Rivera to get a call from Jones at some stage. The Cowboys' job remains prestigious, even though they've done nothing but underachieve for three decades. They are the most valuable franchise in sports and the owner knows how to keep them in the national headlines.
Rivera would be an underwhelming hire for Dallas fans. They saw him struggle in the NFC East with Washington and would be skeptical, to put it mildly. But nothing can or should be dismissed where Jones is concerned.
Watch this space…