Perhaps Riverboat Ron isn't ready to hang up his whistle just yet.
It's been a couple of years since Ron Rivera manned the sideline of an NFL team, but that chapter of his life might not be over just yet.After taking a year away from the game and doing a little bit of TV, Rivera returned to his alma mater, Cal, to become the team's first-ever General Manager.
It didn't take him long to make his first big move as Rivera fired ninth-year head coach Justin Wilcox following a 6-5 start to the 2025 season. He directed the head coaching search and ultimately landed on Tosh Lupoi, hiring him away from his defensive coordinator role at Oregon. Rivera was dismissed from his post in Carolina after beginning the 2019 season with a 5-7 record. That move was just the tip of the iceberg. The Panthers underwent a huge rebuild with Greg Olsen going to Seattle, Luke Kuechly retiring, and Cam Newton eventually being released the next spring. Tepper wanted to make his mark and went with the out-of-the-box hire of Matt Rhule, which didn't last long. His successor, Frank Reich, had an even shorter tenure, lasting just eleven games. On the front office side of things, the team moved on from Marty Hurney to bring in Scott Fitterer, who would eventually be replaced by Dan Morgan, who worked alongside him. Panthers fans have always felt a certain kind of way about how that era of the franchise came to a close, and rightfully so. Ron Rivera is the winningest coach in franchise history and came oh so close to delivering the Carolinas their first-ever Lombardi Trophy. Rivera brought stability, held players accountable, and had developed a winning culture in that locker room. The moment he was let go, it crumbled, and it took several years to get the organization back on track, which Dave Canales has appeared to do with his work over the past two seasons. If Rivera does end up landing the job in Arizona, he won't be all that eager to meet up with the Panthers. History is on the side of the Cardiac Cats, who have won 15 of the 21 meetings.Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.Why the Carolina Panthers absolutely should extend Bryce Young right nowNFL Coaching Cycle Timeline: A Look at Every Coaching Change of the 2025 Season
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ethan Hawke’s 103-Minute Franchise-Starter Dials Into a New Streamer Next MonthBritta DeVore has a zest for all things horror, housewives, 'Buffy,' true crime and Tilly.
Read more »
Why a Tolkien Love Story Could Revitalize the Lord of the Rings FranchiseAn analysis of why adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Beren and Lúthien' could be the best direction for the Lord of the Rings franchise, despite potential rights issues. The story offers a fresh perspective on Middle-earth, focusing on a love story within the First Age, a period unexplored in previous adaptations. The article highlights the potential to reset audience expectations and revitalize the franchise with a new storyline and setting.
Read more »
Chris Pine Addresses Star Trek 4 Cancellation With Great Advice for FranchiseChris Pine has shared his thoughts regarding the future of the Star Trek franchise, following the cancellation of Star Trek 4.
Read more »
Thor 3 & 4 Were for MCU Franchise’s ‘Greater Good,’ Says DirectorThor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi says that his MCU movies were for the “greater good” of the franchise.
Read more »
Star Wars: Starfighter Is Bucking Major Franchise Trend, Writer ConfirmsA big Star Wars: Starfighter rumor was making the rounds recently, but has since been debunked by the film's writer.
Read more »
How John Wick Went From a Low Budget Indie Movie to a Mega Action FranchiseKeanu Reeves in the rain as John Wick in John Wick 4
Read more »