Ultimately, the Ron Rivera era with the Washington Commanders will be known for failed draft picks and perpetual mediocrity.
According to CBS Sports's Amy Trask, though, Rivera still deserves another shot.
Teams looking for a new head coach would be wise to consider @RiverboatRonHC and when so doing, they should bear in mind that while with the @Commanders he couldn't focus on coaching, he had the weight of that entire organization - with all of its problems - on his shoulders.
— Amy Trask (@AmyTrask) December 13, 2024
Trask argues that Rivera's undoings in D.C. were not entirely his fault, as he was unable to focus on coaching due to the dysfunction of the organization around him.
She's not entirely wrong, as during Rivera's first three seasons in Washington, the franchise was clouded by multiple off-court developments that overshadowed the product on the field. The team's name changed twice, and more significantly, there was the investigation involving former majority owner Dan Snyder, leading to the eventual process of the organization's sale.
For that, Rivera deserves credit for the professional presence he brought to the team, especially during his first season. While battling lymph node cancer, he helped lead Washington to a playoff appearance and an NFC East crown, albeit with a 7-9 record.
Compared to the former regime, Rivera's leadership and integrity was a breath of fresh air. However, it's worth noting that his fourth and final year with the Commanders came free of off-field distractions, and that was when the bottom fell out with a 4-13 campaign.
The game seemed to pass Rivera by as a coach, and his efforts in the front office did more harm than good. He was the right man to help guide Washington through the helpless mess the team found itself in back in 2020, but he was also not a long-term solution, and other teams probably shouldn't expect differently.
