Ron Rivera had a solid nine-year NFL playing career, playing in 137 games, winning a Super Bowl, and was a key member of the 1985 Chicago Bears, arguably the greatest defense ever.
After his playing career, Rivera jumped into coaching. Fourteen years after his coaching journey began, Rivera landed his first head coaching job with the Panthers in 2011. He spent almost nine full seasons with Carolina, leading the Panthers to one Super Bowl appearance. After being fired from Carolina, Washington hired Rivera as head coach.
With Washington, Rivera also served as the head of football operations, although it wasn’t a part of his official title. Rivera spent four seasons as head coach of the Commanders before he was fired in January.
In 13 seasons as an NFL head coach, Rivera finished with a 102-103-2 record, with a 3-5 postseason record.
Working in the media this year, the 62-year-old Rivera still wants to coach. And one longtime NFL columnist believes Rivera’s former team, the Bears, should hire him.
Dan Pompei of The Athletic penned a column saying that the struggling Bears, who will likely fire head coach Matt Eberflus after this season, said Rivera would make Chicago players “accountable.” Additionally, Pompei said the Bears ignoring Rivera would be a mistake, similar to not interviewing another Chicago player-turned-coach, Jim Harbaugh.
Let’s note that Harbaugh, in his first season as the Chargers head coach, has a career NFL record of 52-25-1 and an NCAA record of 133-52. He’s led a team to the Super Bowl and won a national championship.
The mere notion of Rivera landing another head coaching job had Washington and Chicago fans reacting on X — formerly Twitter. The reactions weren’t positive.
Here are some of those reactions:
The Bears should definitely hire Ron Rivera!!
Great coach, great game awareness, and most of all, has a great history with his first round draft selections #BearDown
— 🚀 DC Rising 🚀 (@DC__Rising) December 21, 2024
This is quite a sentence. Ignoring Ron Rivera would be equivalent to not being interested in Jim Harbaugh. I don’t know what to say. #Bears pic.twitter.com/3Z1yelQhqI
— James Fox (@JamesFox917) December 21, 2024
Who wrote this with a straight face? Washington was a disaster with Ron. Maybe as a lower level assistant even below defensive coordinator.
— Matt (@Ray0202020202) December 21, 2024
The mention of Rivera as a possible candidate had one Bears fan saying he’d switch teams.
Bears fans, have no fear! Ron Rivera is here! pic.twitter.com/PF7tr29XL2
— Tek (@CookedByTek) December 21, 2024
Yea, PLEASE pick Ron Rivera as your coach and GM. https://t.co/VdQrN5oVY2
— Big Toona (@HottmannTedd) December 22, 2024
This fan nailed it with his thoughts:
Unfortunate the more I read the more it feels the game passed by Dan.
This clamoring for Ron Rivera to be the FIRST interview is asinine and feels like a favor to an old friend/agent. https://t.co/7fRxGkNKCZ
— MB (@MBalsley) December 21, 2024
If the Bears actually hired Ron Rivera, I would be 100% done with the team. It’s not going to happen, but this would be insane ineptitude https://t.co/jFmy9h8mgL
— Jack Savio (@Jack_Savio5) December 21, 2024
Just saw an article sawing the Bears need to hire Ron Rivera…smh https://t.co/y6ughTqc83
— slightly optimistic Bears Fan (@romello_jordan) December 21, 2024
If Ron Rivera gets another job I won’t even hate, but you’ll get what you ask for is all I say https://t.co/BC8r2yg1ev
— Spac3🌊 (@SpaceBandido9) December 22, 2024
I’ve said a million times. National media doesn’t have a better feel for this team than most knowledgeable Bears fans on this app. Ron friggin Rivera? Are you shitting me?? 😂😂 https://t.co/eN1Jp5gbnU
— Ryan James (@RJChicagoSports) December 21, 2024
Saying the Bears should hire Ron Rivera might really be the worst take of the year
— Joe Summers (@IAmJoeSummers) December 21, 2024
Ron Rivera would be a terrible tone deaf hire in the year of football 2024/2025
— Matt (@Ray0202020202) December 21, 2024
The Commanders are 9-5 under new head coach Dan Quinn — one year after Rivera led Washington to a 4-13 record. New general manager Adam Peters has flipped over half of the roster Rivera built, including jettisoning his last three first-round picks.
