Coach Ron Rivera of the Washington Commanders Shares His Strategy Following Jack Del Rio’s Fire
Following the firing of former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, Ron Rivera, the head coach of the Washington Commanders, has found that communication is crucial.
Few coaches are under more pressure than Ron Rivera, the head coach of the Washington Commanders, to make changes. Pressure can spur change.
The Commanders (4-8) have lost their last three games, their most recent being a 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys (8-3) on Thanksgiving. Jack Del Rio, the former defensive coordinator who had served in that capacity since 2020, was fired on Friday as a result of that defeat. On the same day, Brent Vieselmeyer, the defensive backs coach, was also fired.
Rivera will now take over as the defensive play-caller in Del Rio’s absence, and he reported that he has been in more communication with the coaches and players.
“You most certainly want to make sure you talk to specific guys, and that’s what I did on Friday and on Saturday and then today,” Rivera stated. We will keep considering the advice from those guys, but even more crucially, we will speak with and hear from the position coaches in order to obtain some input from them as well. You should definitely make sure you have conversations with particular guys before moving forward.”
The Commanders’ defense cannot get any worse. They allow 35 points per game during their current three-game losing streak and are ranked last in terms of points per game.
Before taking the helm as head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2011, Rivera gained experience as a defensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears (2004–2006) and Los Angeles Chargers (2008–2010). Even though Rivera hasn’t been a defensive coordinator in a long time, returning to his roots might be just what the defense needs to get better in the last five games of the regular season.
Speaking with the defensive players and coaches can only be beneficial. More communication between the Commanders and their defense is necessary for Rivera’s benefit; otherwise, it might not be long before he follows Del Rio out.
