Panthers insight from a profile of Ron Rivera

[Mr. Scot]

A profile of Ron Rivera by longtime Bears reporter Brad Biggs (link) includes some insight into Rivera's time with the Panthers.

Rivera believes he can turn around a "toxic" Redskins franchise

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“What I love is the opportunity, the challenge,” Rivera says while pulling from a shelf a humidor that includes three Cuban cigars — two Bolivars and a Montecristo — he purchased during the Bears’ preseason trip to Dublin in 1997.

“It’s funny because everyone kept asking, ‘Why did you take the job so quickly?’ It ain’t about the money. I really thought about it. I could’ve waited on the Giants. I could’ve waited on Cleveland. I could’ve waited on Dallas. Those are the teams we kept hearing (had interest). This is about the fit, and the more I listened, the more I looked at it, the more I looked at the roster, that’s what impressed me the most, the more I knew.

“I came in (to initial talks) with some trepidation, but as I’ve gotten to know Mr. Snyder, I understand really all he wants to do is figure out how to win, and that is pretty exciting.”

Talking about Redskins owner Dan Snyder as someone who "wants to win" will be revisited a little later in the article.
 

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What Snyder laid out for Rivera is a new power structure for the organization, a dynamic that will make the Redskins a coach-centric franchise with Rivera having considerable control, more power than he possessed with the Panthers.

He will oversee more front-office moves after the draft but already has brought Rob Rogers with him from Carolina as senior vice president of football administration in charge of the salary cap and contract negotiations. Kyle Smith was promoted to vice president of player personnel in January, and if a general manager is hired, Rivera will be the one with the most say in the matter.

This clears out one pitfall that has plagued the Redskins, who have had too many cooks in the kitchen at times with coaches and personnel men who didn’t always have an aligning vision when it came to building the roster. Gone are the days when Snyder flexed his checkbook to lure aging superstars or overpriced free agents (see Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Albert Haynesworth, Adam Archuleta, Antwaan Randle El and others).

The Redskins have basically embraced the model that the Browns wouldn't, and in doing so have made Ron Rivera the center of their universe. Since Rivera is the guy who will "oversee front office moves", he basically has full control. Whether that oversight include reaching out to Panthers GM Marty Hurney? We'll see.

What it does highlight though is that Rivera felt part of the problem in Carolina was that he didn't have enough control (he's stated as much before). This even though Marty Hurney is generally considered to be a guy who cooperates with his head coaches. Makes you wonder if those feelings arise from his dealings with Hurney, Dave Gettleman or David Tepper.
 

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Snyder’s fascination with “shiny objects,” as one former Redskins employee termed it, hasn’t steered the franchise off course in recent years, but there is some feeling he made his preference known at times. Last year the Redskins drafted Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round, a move that perhaps was not in line with the wishes of the coaching staff.
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The flip side is if Snyder is comfortable allowing Rivera to build the bus and drive it — and willing to be a passenger — it’s a potential dream setup. But that’s a big if for an owner who has employed Norv Turner, Marty Schottenheimer, Steve Spurrier, Joe Gibbs, Shanahan, Jim Zorn and Gruden as head coaches, with Terry Robiskie and Bill Callahan serving interim terms.

So Haskins was a Snyder call that the previous coaching staff didn't like. How does the new coaching staff feel about him? Keep reading.
 

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Rivera’s no stranger to challenges in the job that have nothing to do with the product on the field. He was the front man for the Panthers when owner Jerry Richardson was the subject of a sexual harassment investigation in 2017. With the owner nowhere to be seen, Rivera was the one to field the heat publicly.

“I was the face,” he says. “That’s who I was for the organization, so I had to accept the responsibility. I’m the one who should get up there, stand in front of everyone and take it, and I did. That’s just how I saw it. I will not shy away from the responsibility, and I am going to be as honest as I can.”

Before Richardson’s downfall, which led him to sell the Panthers to David Tepper, Rivera dealt with a dialed-in owner who requested regular meetings, the kind of background that will serve him well with Snyder.

“Mr. Richardson was there daily, but he really wasn’t intrusive,” Rivera said. “He just wanted to know. … The biggest thing I learned is that you have to be prepared. You have to have an answer, and if you don’t have an answer, get one and give it.”

Dave Gettleman mentioned meeting with Jerry Richardson daily, and Rivera confirms it was the same for him. Rivera's description doesn't necessarily paint Richardson as "hands on" but where does the line between "hands on and "dialed in" sit?

I'd add that Rivera sounds like he's complaining just a little about having to be the "face" of the Panthers during the Richardson scandal, but it's worth remembering that this is the guy who, in a very tone deaf moment, led a cheer for Richardson at season's end.
 

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Snyder reached out to Rivera less than a week after the Panthers fired him on Dec. 3. Both sides had plenty of questions, and the process took off quickly, with Rivera contacting coaches and players who had been through Redskins Park to get their opinions.

The consensus was Snyder is driven to win even if he has had such a difficult time doing so. Snyder has long been generous with assistant coaches, and while there are countless stories of haphazard errors, he also has allowed employees use of his private jets when in need and has flown players around the country for medical appointments. He doesn’t skimp when it comes to putting a product on the field.

“Mr. Snyder was contrite, self-deprecating, very upfront and very honest,” Rivera says. “He laid it all out in front of me. That really made me feel and believe that he knows his mistakes and he doesn’t want to repeat them.”

So Snyder wants to win, is willing to spend money to win, but has no clue how to do it.

Sound familiar?

Here's hoping we've left those days behind, but that's not confirmed yet.
 

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Through multiple meetings and discussions that totaled 34 hours, Rivera reviewed the quarterback development plan he helped create in Carolina for Cam Newton with an eye toward Haskins. A meeting with Gibbs, whom Rivera had met multiple times in Charlotte, crystallized his thinking regarding the job. Before the season ended, Rivera and Snyder were comfortable with one another.

Snyder introduced his coach at a Jan. 2 news conference, opening his remarks by saying, “Happy Thanksgiving,” perhaps mixing up the new year with his coaching search, which had kicked into gear around Thanksgiving.

Rivera, in a gray suit, white dress shirt and burgundy tie, wasn’t a minute into his opening statement when he admitted the question most had was why he picked the Redskins. He cited Snyder’s plan to restructure the organization around the coach, and he was off.

Back to Haskins: Rivera says he's plannng to use the same sort of "development plan" with Haskins as he did with Cam Newton.

(there was a plan?)
 

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Plenty of roster reworking is needed, but Rivera likes Haskins’ upside while admitting, “We really don’t know what is going to happen at quarterback.” The more Rivera looks at the two-deep, the more he likes the young core, sliding back the white board to reveal the depth chart on the wall.

“Young guy, lots of experience,” he says over and over as he points to players on both sides of the ball. “The young nucleus is there. We just have to put the right pieces in place. I know I sound overly optimistic, but you know me, I’ve always been an optimistic guy. The first year and a half, two years, they’re going to be hard. But at the end of the day, I am happy as heck right now.”

Over dinner at a farm-to-table restaurant in Reston, Va., near the executive apartment he’s using until he and Stephanie close on their new home in Great Falls, Va., next month, Rivera remains excited about the roster. He points to youth in the front seven he believes is better suited to the 4-3 base scheme he will use than the 3-4 alignment the Redskins have been playing.

Rivera is hedging on Haskins here, saying he likes him but that he "doesn't know what's going to happen" at quarterback. There's natural speculation about the Redskins looking to trade for Cam Newton. I'm not really a big believer in that, but it could happen. Would Cam want to work with Rivera and crew again, though? Unknown.

 

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Longtime Redskin Brian Mitchell, the NFL’s all-time return yardage leader and a fixture on sports talk radio and TV in Washington, has been impressed so far. Mitchell was finishing his career in Philadelphia when Rivera was working for the Eagles under Andy Reid.

“A lot of fans were upset with the fact that Bruce was around,” Mitchell said. “They didn’t like Bruce, you know, ‘Winning off the field,’ and ‘We’re close,' all those types of things that he said that rubbed people the wrong way, and they stopped supporting it. Dan made those moves, hired a guy that is reputable, people love him, and I think things have started to change.

“Fans understand the relationship he had with his players in Carolina. They understand the fact he is going to hold people accountable, and then Joe Gibbs ‘amen’d’ it, so they love it. For the last six to eight years, there has been no accountability on this football team. And Ron is a guy that is going to hold people accountable. Not many coaches have that balance where they can kick you in the ass but also say, ‘Good job,’ you know what I mean?”

Fans "understand the relationship Rivera had with his players in Carolina", but also expect that he is going to hold people accountable?

Are they sure they understand that?

 

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Rivera isn’t naive and recognizes time and patience are required. He hopes to spark interest in the region for a team that used to brag about its season ticket waiting list, long ago exhausted.

“It’s been awesome so far,” he says. “We go out to dinner and people come up: ‘We’re so excited you’re here.’ I always tell them: ‘It’s going to be hard, and I’m going to need your help now. Going to need you to come back.’ That’s why I’m telling everybody, ‘We aren’t doing this by ourselves.’ I’m trying to be honest. I am not sugarcoating anything.”

Appearing at a luncheon for team sponsors in Miami during Super Bowl week, Rivera gave a speech and then took five questions.

“Thanks, folks,” Rivera said. “I’ve got to run, but I want you to keep one last thing in mind: Happy Thanksgiving.”

He shook the hands of Snyder and his wife, Tanya, and walked out.

Rivera definitely believes in himself. Whether its warranted or not is another story.

So basically, we learn from this that Rivera pretty clearly doesn't believe he was part of the problem in Charlotte. It almost sounds like he thinks he was underappreciated for his efforts. He didn't necessarily appreciate being out in front for the Richardson scandal either, although his season ending cheer might make that sound a little off.

The "not enough power" thing is interesting, again given that Marty Hurney has a rep for not exactly being an arguer like Dave Gettleman was. Rivera's relationship with Hurney is generally said to be a good one, so maybe the blame for that lies elsewhere. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say David Tepper, although Gettleman is a strong candidate too (this despite the fact that Rivera was more successful with Gettleman than he ever was with Hurney ). Worth noting that Rivera says he did consider the Giants as a possible landing spot but they apparently didn't call soon enough.

It's gonna be interesting to see how he fares under Snyder, who has apparently given him the keys to the kingdom.

[Cary Kollins]

One thing Carolina did not need was giving Rivera more power with personnel. I can’t even count the numbers of times Rivera would run an aging vet into the ground before giving a promising younger player an opportunity.

[Jon Snow]

22 minutes ago, Cary Kollins said:

One thing Carolina did not need was giving Rivera more power with personnel. I can’t even count the numbers of times Rivera would run an aging vet into the ground before giving a promising younger player an opportunity.

Sounds to me like he's laying that at someone else's feet.  According to him he didn't have any control over who played, except when he did.  Then he was a great developer of talent, except when he wasn't.  Which was someone else's fault.

[WarPanthers89]

We all know why Rivera picked the skins. They gave him power, big money, and he knows he will exceed expectations. He will be given plenty of time, and if he fails no one will think anything of it because it’s the Redskins. With the young talent they have on defense and add in Chase young, they are a vet QB away from Rons sweet spot of 7-9 to 9-7. Results like that will get him another contract and fans will be fine with that as bad as things have been over the years. We have had enough here though....

[TheRed]

How long before Ron find his next Sione Fua to try at multiple positions despite being awful?

[Madwolf]

Honestly I think what stood in the way of Rivera being a better coach was the conservatism with personnel. While I'm sure that wasn't entirely his fault outside of game day, there was plenty of blame there to lay at his feet.

When you look at the guys who got better under the Rivera regime it was generally the guys that HAD to start. It's hard for me to actually think of a player on the Panthers that played there way into the lineup with chances on the field, because frankly those chances were so few and far between for most players. Even the players who did see the field rarely got more PT unless injuries happened.

Just take a look at a few obvious players:

CMC didn't really cement himself as the starter until Stewart was lost in FA. 

Curtis Samuel didn't really get consistent playing time until he was the defacto #2 WR.

And there are lots of other examples of this in Ron's time here.

[ellis]

I’m pulling for Ron to do well. He’s a good dude, and has shown he can do good things. We’ll see how he fares with a different F/O dynamic.

[tiger7_88]

Good god, that was such a bunch of self-serving, history-revising bullpoo.

Many of y'all out there can continue to believe every bit of the "good guy Rivera" image, but its all the fugging result of friendly press and a P.R. machine. 

Narcissist through-and-through.  Dude uses people up and spits'em out, all for the sake of the Great and Holy Ron Rivera.

Makes me wanna puke.

[tiger7_88]

1 hour ago, Mr. Scot said:

Rivera says he's plannng to use the same sort of "development plan" with Haskins as he did with Cam Newton.

Translated:

Use him up until only a husk is remaining then wash him down the garbage disposal.

[Mr. Scot]

56 minutes ago, ellis said:

I’m pulling for Ron to do well. He’s a good dude, and has shown he can do good things. We’ll see how he fares with a different F/O dynamic.

I don't dispute that Rivera is a good person, but I'd stop short of saying I'm pulling for him. I'd add that some of the things he says and does as a coach aren't necessarily"good person" things.

Mind you, a good coach does often have to do things that a good person might find reprehensible, but some of Rivera's post firing comments are a tad distasteful to me.

[Pimpdaddy]

Skins need to prepare for mediocrity.... which is a step up for them...

[top dawg]

Nobody's perfect. At the end of the day, Rivera is still very much respected by players, coaches, and FOs across the league. If he sits players down when they're not getting it done, maybe he can go from decent/good to great!

I ain't mad at him. A reset was needed & pretty much inevitable in Charlotte due to circumstances. Now everyone gets a clean slate. Good luck to him; better luck to us!

[Waldo]

His level of denial is comical now that it's not our problem. He is the HC Snyder deserves and it should be fun to watch and laugh.

[Mr. Scot]

One other note I forgot to highlight regarding the Redskin defense...

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Rivera remains excited about the roster. He points to youth in the front seven he believes is better suited to the 4-3 base scheme he will use than the 3-4 alignment the Redskins have been playing.

Rivera's planning to take a roster that was previously built to run a 3-4 system and convert it to a 4-3 based team.

So much for that whole 3-4 flexibility thing he tried here.