The Washington Redskins were a laughingstock in 2019. They went 3-13. They fired coach Jay Gruden during the season.
Amid wide reports of dysfunction, they also fired long-time team president Bruce Allen immediately after the season. Gruden wasn’t a good coach and Allen wasn’t good on the personnel side, plus he wasn’t above feeding fans and media a steady stream of lies.
But that era is over. Maybe now, it’s finally time for owner Daniel Snyder to get things right. He took a major step in that direction when he hired coach Ron Rivera on Tuesday.
One of the most respected coaches in the league, Rivera brings instant credibility to the Redskins. But can Rivera succeed in a job where others have struggled through most of Snyder’s tenure in a place where a once-rabid fan base has soured?
Let’s take a look at what Rivera needs to succeed in Washington.
6. Freedom
Owner Daniel Snyder has been accused of being meddlesome in the past. The most recent example came when it was reported that Gruden didn’t want to draft quarterback Dwayne Haskins this year, but Allen and Snyder did and they did what they wanted. Rivera isn’t going to play that way. He’s his own man with strong convictions. Snyder needs to focus on getting a new stadium built and leave the football up to Rivera.
5. Personnel help
Although Ron Rivera is his own man, he’s not one of those coaches that demands control over every personnel decision. He’s at his best with a strong general manager like he had with Marty Hurney in Carolina. Speaking of Hurney, if he were somehow to come available, he’d be a natural fit. Hurney grew up just outside Washington and was a former Redskins beat writer for The Washington Times. He later went to work in the team’s front office. Getting Hurney might be a pipe dream for Rivera. But the bottom line is he needs a solid general manager who is willing to share power. There’s no need for another team president like Bruce Allen, who yielded tremendous personnel power even though he was more cut out for the business side more than the football side. Let the new president focus on getting a new stadium built and let a general manager and Rivera handle football matters.
4. Harmony in the locker room
The Redskins just finished a tumultuous season and there were complaints from the players about dysfunction at almost every level of the organization. A quick example was offensive tackle Trent Williams, who missed the season while saying the team’s medical staff failed to properly treat cancerous growths on his head. That kind of dysfunction will disappear with Ron Rivera. He’s a no-nonsense guy, but he also cares about the well being of his players. Rivera will quickly earn respect in the locker room.
3. A strong staff
It goes without saying that every coach needs good assistants and Ron Rivera is no exception. He had a good staff in Carolina and those coaches now are available. Look for a reunion of most of that staff in Washington, including Norv Turner and Perry Fewell.
2. Offensive help
Ron Rivera comes from a defensive background and doesn’t get very involved with the offense. He needs a strong offensive coordinator. Norv Turner, who worked for Rivera in Carolina, quickly comes to mind. Even if Turner doesn’t come to Washington, Rivera needs a very strong offensive coordinator.
1. A quarterback
Rookie Dwayne Haskins, a first-round pick, started for part of the season and had the typical ups and downs, throwing for seven touchdowns with seven interceptions. There is physical talent with Haskins, but he’ll have to pick up a new offense quickly. Yes, Ron Rivera is a defensive guru, but he needs a good quarterback to succeed. Remember, he made the Super Bowl in the 2015 season when Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
