Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer wasn’t the only familiar face to be relieved of his duties this morning. Black Monday also came for former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, who has been fired by the Washington Commanders.
Rivera got his first NFL head-coaching gig with the Panthers beginning in 2011. From there (and with the help of that year’s No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Cam Newton), he went on to become the winningest coach in franchise history—amassing a 76-63-1 record over a nine-year run.
Under Rivera’s watch, the Panthers became the first team in the NFC South’s current alignment to capture three straight division titles (2013, 2014 and 2015). He also guided them to their second NFC crown in franchise history, an impressive 17-win campaign that gave way to their appearance in Super Bowl 50.
While admired for the job he did in helping stabilize the organization in recent years, Rivera never found the same success in the nation’s capital as he did in Charlotte. The Commanders, under Rivera, went 26-40-1 from 2020 to 2023.
