When it comes to head coaches in the NFL, most of them age like a fine wine. That’s not to say that some can’t be great in their early years as the top-guy on a coaching staff — look at Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, or Mike Tomlin — but most coaches start to find their groove a bit down the line.
In fact, it is usually on a coach’s second team where he really finds the sweet spot, and success starts to reveal itself. Take Andy Reid, or Bill Belichick, for example. Reid spent 14 solid years with the Philadelphia Eagles, but it wasn’t until he came to Kansas City where he finally got a Super Bowl ring this season with the Chiefs. For Belichick, arguably the greatest coach of all-time, four of his first five years as a head coach with the Cleveland Browns were major disappointments. Of course, he’s found great success with his second team, winning six rings with the New England Patriots.
This all bodes well for Ron Rivera, who is moving into his second head coaching gig in the NFL with the Washington Redskins. Rivera spent eight years with the Panthers, winning two Coach of the Year awards and making it to the Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos.
Now, having that experience of success, with the addition of learning from his mistakes after being fired near the end of the 2019 season, Rivera will be able to start fresh in Washington and hopefully build a winning team with the Redskins.
If history is any indication, his coaching prime is on the way.
