Another lackluster practice from Washington and Ron Rivera is lighting into his team. Wants players flying around and has been very clear he will not accept the current effort.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 22, 2020
Practice is over. Rivera addressing the team per usual, but the tone sounds different. Fired up. Choice words.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 22, 2020
Remember after coach Ron Rivera’s cancer diagnosis became public knowledge, and he reportedly told his team that they should try not to make him mad because he’d likely be more cranky going forward?
It seems that they didn’t quite get the message.
As training camp booted back up again in Washington on Saturday, the practice came to an end with Rivera lighting up his team for a “lackluster effort” and using a number of harsh words to tell them how they need to be better. One of the main components of Rivera’s tenure is expected to be tempo and pace in practice, and that apparently hasn’t been taking place to his liking thus far.
Ron Rivera points to Adrian Peterson and Thomas Davis as guys that know how to work. Then he pointed out Wes Martin and said, “This is your chance. This is your FING opportunity. Are you going to take it?”
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 22, 2020
Rivera talks with team at least five minutes. Voice rising. Passionate. Barks about consistency: “need to do it every (ahem) time”
— John Keim (@john_keim) August 22, 2020
Discipline has long been an issue for Washington, especially under the prior coaching staff, and it’s going to have to be something that Rivera harps about constantly if he’s going to change the bad habits that have been instilled in the franchise over the years.
Until things start to shape up, he will keep yelling. Eventually, the players might get the picture, and a new culture can be established.
