.jpg) Rivera in 2022 | |||||||||||
| California Golden Bears | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | General manager | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1962-01-07)January 7, 1962 (age 63) Fort Ord, California, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Seaside(Seaside, California) | ||||||||||
| College | California (1980–1983) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1984: 2nd round, 44th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Position | Linebacker, No. 59 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Operations | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
Playing
Coaching
| |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||
| Regular season | 102–103–2 (.498) | ||||||||||
| Postseason | 3–5 (.375) | ||||||||||
| Career | 105–108–2 (.493) | ||||||||||
| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |||||||||||
Ronald Eugene Rivera (born January 7, 1962) is an American professionalfootball executive and formerlinebacker and coach who is thegeneral manager for theUniversity of California-Berkeley, his alma mater. He played nine seasons in theNational Football League (NFL) for theChicago Bears and was a member of their1985 team that wonSuper Bowl XX. Rivera later served as the head coach of the NFL'sCarolina Panthers andWashington Football Team / Commanders, earning twoNFL Coach of the Year awards with the former.
Rivera playedcollege football for the Golden Bears, earning consensusAll-American honors in 1983. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the1984 NFL draft. Rivera began his coaching career in 1997, serving as the defensivequality control coach for the Bears. He joined thePhiladelphia Eagles as a linebackers coach two years later before rejoining the Bears as theirdefensive coordinator in 2004. The following year, Rivera was named Assistant Coach of the Year by thePFWA and helped coach linebackerBrian Urlacher into being namedDefensive Player of the Year. After the Bears made an appearance inSuper Bowl XLI, he joined theSan Diego Chargers as their linebackers coach in 2007 before being promoted to defensive coordinator a year later.
After three years with the Chargers, Rivera was hired as head coach for the Carolina Panthers. He led them to an appearance inSuper Bowl 50 and became their all-time leader in wins. Rivera was fired near the end of the 2019 season and became Washington's head coach in 2020. He was diagnosed withsquamous cell carcinoma the same year but was considered cancer free by early 2021. Rivera is the only coach in NFL history to have led a team with a losing record to the playoffs more than once, doing so withCarolina in 2014 andWashington in 2020. He was fired by Washington after the2023 season and worked as an analyst forNFL Live before rejoining the Golden Bears in an administrative role in 2025.
Rivera was born on January 7, 1962, inFort Ord, California.[1][2] His father, Eugenio Rivera, was a Puerto Rican commissioned officer in theUS Army stationed in California. There, Eugenio met his future wife, Dolores, who is of Mexican and Filipino descent.[3] The family moved often due to Eugenio's military service, with Rivera being educated on bases inGermany,Panama, andWashington, D.C.[2][4] The family eventually settled inMarina, California, where he played football atSeaside High School before graduating in 1980.[5]
Rivera was granted a football scholarship at theUniversity of California, Berkeley, where he led theGolden Bears in tackles as alinebacker during his three years there. As a senior, Rivera received several awards and honors for his performance, including being named a consensusAll-American,Pac-10 Football Defensive Player of the Year along with Arizona linebackerRicky Hunley, thePop Warner Trophy, and was named MVP of theEast–West Shrine Game.[6][7]
Rivera was selected in the second round of the1984 NFL draft by theChicago Bears, playing for them as a rotational linebacker and special teamer.[8]
In1985, Rivera became the first American of Puerto Rican descent to win a Super Bowl when the Bears defeated theNew England Patriots inSuper Bowl XX.[9]
Rivera was named the team's Man of the Year in1988 and was named theirEd Block Courage Award recipient the following year.[10]
Rivera played in nine seasons before retiring after the1992 season, recording 392 tackles, 7.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and nine interceptions in 137 games and 62 starts.[10][11]
In 1993, Rivera went to work forWGN-TV andSportsChannel Chicago as a television analyst covering the Bears and college football. Four years later, he joined the Bears as a defensivequality control coach.[12][13]
In 1999, Rivera was named linebackers coach for thePhiladelphia Eagles under newly hired head coachAndy Reid.[12] During his tenure, the Eagles advanced to theNFC Championship Game for three consecutive seasons. Rivera also was credited with developing linebackerJeremiah Trotter into a two-timeAll-Pro.[14]
Rivera was nameddefensive coordinator of theChicago Bears on January 23, 2004.[12] In 2005, the Bears defense was rated second in the league by total yardage, with the team winning theNFC North division with an 11–5 record before losing in the Divisional Round to theCarolina Panthers. For his efforts that year, Rivera was named Assistant Coach of the Year by thePro Football Writers Association.[15] In 2006, the Bears had the league's third-ranked defense in terms of points allowed, which helped them advance toSuper Bowl XLI. Although the Bears lost to theIndianapolis Colts 29–17,[16] the defense's success earned Rivera recognition among franchises looking for new head coaches.
In February 2007, it was announced that Rivera's contract with the Bears would not be extended due to failed negotiations.[17] Around the same time, he interviewed for several vacant head coaching positions around the league, including with thePittsburgh Steelers andDallas Cowboys.[18][19][20]
Rivera was hired by theSan Diego Chargers to become their inside linebackers coach in February 2007 and was promoted to defensive coordinator after the team firedTed Cottrell in October 2008.[21][22]
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On January 11, 2011, Rivera was hired to become the fourth head coach of theCarolina Panthers. He was the third Latino in NFL history to become a head coach, followingTom Fears andTom Flores.[23] During his first year, the Panthers went 6–10 and finished third in theNFC South.[23]
In 2012, the Panthers finished 7–9 and finished second in the NFC South.[24] During his first two years with the Panthers, Rivera was known for his conservative decision-making, with journalists noting his record of 2–14 record in games decided by less than a touchdown.
Following a 1–3 start to the 2013 season, reports suggested that the Panthers were already contemplating getting a new head coach. As a result, Rivera began making more aggressive decisions.[25] The Panthers then went 11–1 to finish the season, including a then-franchise record eight-game winning streak, to win the NFC South with a 12–4 record and make the playoffs for the first time since 2008.[26] For his efforts, Rivera was honored as the 2013AP NFL Coach of the Year.[27] During the early part of the 2013 season, Rivera was given the nickname of "Riverboat Ron" by fans and the media after taking several risky decisions, something previously not attributed to him.[28][29] The name was inspired after 19th centuryfrontier gamblers, with Rivera later embracing it for use on his social media profiles.[30] Rivera was also known as "Chico" during his playing time with the Chicago Bears, a common practice that the team had under head coachMike Ditka.[31] Rivera received the nickname from defensive coordinatorBuddy Ryan, who reminded him of actorFreddie Prinze from the television seriesChico and the Man.[32] The Panthers earned a first-round bye in the playoffs,[33] but lost to theSan Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round by a score of 23–10.[34]
In 2014, the Panthers recovered from a 3–8–1 start to win its final four regular-season games and clinch the NFC South for the second consecutive year.[35] They defeated theArizona Cardinals 27–16 in the Wild Card Round for the team's first playoff win since 2005 before falling to theeventual NFC championSeattle Seahawks on the road 31–17 the following week.[36][37]
The team's momentum would continue in 2015, as the Panthers produced their best season in franchise history by finishing 15–1, with their only loss being against theAtlanta Falcons on the road in Week 16.[38] Rivera was recognized as the 2015 AP NFL Coach of the Year, his second such honor.[39] The team held the top seed in the NFC playoffs, where they defeated the Seahawks 31–24 during the Divisional Round and theArizona Cardinals 49–15 in theNFC Championship Game,[40][41] advancing toSuper Bowl 50 against theDenver Broncos.[42] It was the first Super Bowl in which both head coaches, Rivera and the Broncos'Gary Kubiak, had previously played in a Super Bowl. The Panthers lost by a score of 24–10, in a game which both sides' defenses dominated.[43]
The Panthers struggled in 2016, finishing 6–10 and did not qualify for the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.[44] The Panthers improved in 2017 and finished with an 11–5 record, entering the playoffs,[45] but they lost on the road in the Wild Card Round 31–26 to theNew Orleans Saints.[46] Rivera signed a two-year contract extension worthUS$15.5 million in January 2018.[47] The Panthers finished 7–9 in the 2018 season and missed the playoffs despite starting with a 6–2 record.[48]
After a 5–7 start to the 2019 season, Rivera was fired on December 3, 2019, after nine seasons as head coach.[49] OwnerDavid Tepper, who bought the team in 2018, made the decision to move on from Rivera as he wanted to build his own approach for the team.[50] Rivera finished his career with the Panthers with four playoff appearances and a total record of 79–67–1 (.541), both of which rank first all-time in team history.[51][52]
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On January 1, 2020, Rivera was hired to become the 30th head coach of theWashington Football Team, known as the Redskins at his time of hiring.[53][54] At his introductory press conference, Rivera stated that he was convinced that the team was the right fit for him after having meetings with former Washington ownerDaniel Snyder and former head coachJoe Gibbs, which started almost immediately after he was fired from the Panthers.[55][56] Rivera hired several former assistant coaches that worked under him with the Panthers,[57] assigningScott Turner, the son ofNorv Turner, asoffensive coordinator and formerJacksonville Jaguars andOakland Raiders head coachJack Del Rio asdefensive coordinator.[58][59] Rivera was also granted considerable authority over roster personnel, with him acting as the team's de factogeneral manager until the team hiredMartin Mayhew for the role in 2021. However, Rivera retained the final say in football matters. For instance, Mayhew reported to him; most NFL head coaches report to the general manager.[60]
Rivera's first season with the team was met with many challenges, including implementing a new culture, assisting the process of changing the team's name, dealing with a vastly altered season due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, and being diagnosed withcancer and undergoing treatment for it during the season.[61] Rivera released quarterbackDwayne Haskins in December after on-field struggles and off-the-field controversies throughout the year.[62][63] Despite all the adversities, Rivera led the team to aNFC East title with a 7–9 record,[64] mirroring his2014 Panthers team that also won the division with a losing record.[65]
In the 2021 offseason, Rivera chose to bring in journeyman quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick and made him the starting quarterback overTaylor Heinicke despite showing a lack of understanding of the offense during the preseason.[66][67] Fitzpatrick was injured in the first game of regular season, which resulted in Heinicke being the starter for the rest of the season with a final record of 7–10 and third in the NFC East.[68][69]
During the 2022 offseason,Carson Wentz was traded to the team with Rivera publicly stating that he was directly responsible for the move in order for Wentz to be his new starting quarterback.[70] Following Week 6 and a 2–4 record, Rivera named Heinicke as his starter again due to Wentz being placed on injured reserve.[71] Despite Heinicke managing to keep the Commanders in playoff contention with five wins, three losses, and a tie, and needing to win the last two remaining games of the regular season in order to make the playoffs, Rivera benched him in favor of Wentz ahead of Week 17.[72] The Commanders lost to theCleveland Browns in Week 17, and Rivera was widely criticized for his post-game interview where he showed a lack of awareness that a Vikings loss to the Packers would result in the Commanders being eliminated from playoff contention.[73] The team finished the season last in the NFC East with an 8–8–1 record.[74]
Rivera replaced Scott Turner with former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinatorEric Bieniemy in 2023, additionally giving him the title of assistant head coach.[75][76] For the 2023 season, Rivera announced thatSam Howell would be the team's starting quarterback.[77] Rivera took over as interim defensive coordinator for the second half of the season afterJack Del Rio was fired following a 45–10 road loss to theDallas Cowboys onThanksgiving, with the team having allowed the most points in the NFL by that point in the season.[78] The Commanders were eliminated from playoff contention following a Week 15 loss to theLos Angeles Rams.[79] After the Commanders finished the 2023 season last in the NFC East with a 4–13 record,[80] Rivera was fired on January 8, 2024.[81]
On March 20, 2025, Rivera was announced as thegeneral manager of his alma mater,California, with oversight over their budget and football staff.[82] Rivera's contract runs through 2028, with his compensation funded entirely by donors.[83]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| CAR | 2011 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3rd in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| CAR | 2012 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2nd in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| CAR | 2013 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in NFC South | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toSan Francisco 49ers (Divisional Round) |
| CAR | 2014 | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 1st in NFC South | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toSeattle Seahawks (Divisional Round) |
| CAR | 2015 | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 1st in NFC South | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost toDenver Broncos (Super Bowl 50) |
| CAR | 2016 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4th in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| CAR | 2017 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in NFC South | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toNew Orleans Saints (Wild Card Round) |
| CAR | 2018 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| CAR | 2019 | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | Fired | — | — | — | — |
| CAR total | 76 | 63 | 1 | .546 | — | 3 | 4 | .429 | — | |
| WAS | 2020 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1st in NFC East | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toTampa Bay Buccaneers (Wild Card Round) |
| WAS | 2021 | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 3rd in NFC East | — | — | — | — |
| WAS | 2022 | 8 | 8 | 1 | .500 | 4th in NFC East | — | — | — | — |
| WAS | 2023 | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 4th in NFC East | — | — | — | — |
| WAS total | 26 | 40 | 1 | .396 | — | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | |
| Total | 102 | 103 | 2 | .498 | — | 3 | 5 | .375 | — | |
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Rivera isCatholic and has three brothers: Steven, Mickey, and John.[4][84] He is married to Stephanie (née Tamayo), whom he met while at Cal in August 1983. They got married in 1984.[12][85] Stephanie, aFilipino American, was apoint guard for theGolden Bears women's basketball team in the early 1980s and later served as a coach for the sport, most notably as an assistant for theWashington Mystics of theWNBA in 2000.[86][87] The couple have two children: Christopher and Courtney.[88] Courtney played for theUCLA Bruins softball team in the early 2010s and has worked as asocial media producer under Rivera in Carolina and Washington.[89][90] Rivera's nephew, Vincent, was hired as a defensivequality control coach under him in Washington in 2020.[91]
Rivera's idol while growing up was Puerto Rican baseball playerRoberto Clemente, who died in aplane crash while en route to deliver aid to victims of the1972 Nicaragua earthquake.[4] Rivera was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.[7] On January 5, 2015, his home inCharlotte, North Carolina caught fire and was partially damaged, but Rivera and his family escaped without injury.[92] Rivera held a charityyard sale there after his hiring as Washington head coach in 2020, with various Panthers apparel and merchandise up for sale that raised more thanUS$30,000 for thehumane society of Charlotte.[93]
In August 2020, Rivera was diagnosed withsquamous cell carcinoma in alymph node of his neck.[94] Rivera has a family history withcancer; his father Eugenio was diagnosed with it while his brother Mickey died frompancreatic cancer in 2015 and his mother Dolores died fromlung cancer seven years later.[95][96] However, Rivera's diagnosis was discovered in its early stage.[97] He underwent a seven-week treatment regimen that included 35proton therapy appointments and three cycles ofchemotherapy.[98] Although Rivera missed only a total of three practices,[99] he lost over 30 pounds (14 kg) and had to receiveintravenous therapy during halftime of some games to relieve fatigue.[100][101] A campaign known as "Rivera Strong" was organized by the team to support Rivera.[102] He was considered cancer free by late January 2021.[99] In April 2021, Rivera donated $100,000 toRich Eisen's Run Rich Run charity event forSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital.[103] He was later awarded the 2022George Halas Award by thePro Football Writers of America for the adversity he dealt with.[104]
In April 2022, Rivera joined the Washington Speakers Bureau as a speaker.[105] In 2024, Rivera worked as an analyst forNFL Live onESPN and select games forWestwood One.[106]
Rivera was a founding board member of theHispanic Football Hall of Fame in 2025, alongsideAnthony Muñoz.[107]
