Ron Rivera has agreed to be the Washington Redskins' next head coach, the team announced on Wednesday.
Rivera, who has been coaching in the NFL for more than two decades and was previously the head coach of the Carolina Panthers for nine seasons, will take over the team after offensive line coach Bill Callahan served as the interim head coach since Week 4 of the 2019 season. Rivera will be the 30th head coach in the team's 88-year history.
An introductory press conference for Rivera will be held on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Team Auditorium at Redskins Park.
"After several meetings with Coach Rivera, it was clear he is the right person to bring winning football back to Washington D.C.," Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder stated in the press release announcing the move. "He is widely respected around the league as a man of great integrity and has proven to be one of the finest coaches in the country."
Rivera started his coaching career in 1997 as a defensive quality control coach for the Chicago Bears, but his experience in the NFL dates back to 1984 when was drafted by the Bears as a second-round pick. During his nine seasons with the Bears, he was a part of the 1985 team, which boasted one of the best defenses in NFL history and won Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots.
As a coach, Rivera had stints with the Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers before being hired by the Panthers in 2011. After serving as the linebackers coach with the Eagles for four seasons, the Bears hired Rivera as their defensive coordinator from 2004-06. He was then hired as the linebackers coach with the Chargers for one season before being promoted to defensive coordinator.
As the Panthers head coach, Rivera led the team to three seasons of at least 11 wins and four postseason appearances, including a trip to Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos after finishing the 2015 regular season with a league-best 15-1 record.
Under Rivera's leadership, the Panthers finished first in the NFC South for three straight seasons from 2013-15, and he has received praise and accolades for his management of the team. He is a two-time recipient of NFL Coach of the Year honors by the Associated Press and has a 76-63-1 regular season record as a head coach.
"While I love the storied history of the franchise, I am focused on the future and excited for the opportunity to win football games with this talented young team," said Rivera. "After meeting Dan Snyder, it was clear we are aligned in our passion for the game and he supports my vision to turn the team around. I look forward to surrounding myself with great people and getting to work."
Rivera's hiring is one of several moves Redskins owner Dan Snyder has made since the 2019 season ended to revamp the franchise. The first was relieving former team president Bruce Allen of his duties on Monday after the team's season finale loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The team announced that Rivera would be the head coach two days later.
"Like our passionate fan base, I recognize we have not lived up to the high standards set by the great Redskins teams, coaches and players who have come before us," Mr. Snyder said via an official statement Monday morning. "As we reevaluate our team leadership, culture and process for winning football games, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to renew our singular focus and purpose of bringing championship football back to Washington, D.C."
***CORRECTION: This story incorrectly stated on multiple occasions that Ron Rivera was the 29th head coach in Washington Redskins history. He is the 30th coach. This story has been updated to reflect these changes.***
