It didn’t take long for former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera to land on his feet. On Wednesday’s edition of NFL Live on ESPN, Rivera was revealed as one of the network’s new analysts.
Rivera was fired on Jan. 8 after four seasons as head coach/GM of the Commanders with a record of 26-40-1. Rivera immediately told John Keim of ESPN he still wanted to coach, even if it meant being a defensive coordinator. Rivera enjoyed focusing more on Washington’s defense late last season after firing Jack Del Rio.
Rivera interviewed for two defensive coordinator positions, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Those jobs eventually went to Vic Fangio and Mike Zimmer, respectively.
Rivera could return to coaching, but for now, he will give his perspective on the NFL from the media side.
Adam Schefter immediately put Rivera on the spot in his debut, asking him if he were still in Washington what would be his quarterback plan.
“You know the big thing, more than anything else, is you have to look at the is style of offense they’re going to run,” Rivera said. “You’ve got Kliff Kingsbury, a guy that likes the mobile quarterback. The quarterback that can move in the pocket, that can make the plays when they’re downfield and throw the football. I think the big thing is you’ve got to have a mobile quarterback.”
So, who will that be, Coach?
“Jayden Daniels, because of the fact that everybody expects Caleb (Williams) to go first,” Rivera answered. “So, to me, if this is the style of offense you’re going to have, you’ve got to have that type of quarterback. A guy that can, again, move around in the pocket, hold onto the football, find guys downfield.”
Here’s the full clip in case you wanted to see Rivera:
Ron Rivera weighs in on why the Commanders should target Jayden Daniels in the draft
pic.twitter.com/9kw0GycUEU
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 7, 2024
Most Washington fans probably aren’t ready to hear Rivera’s opinions on the draft, considering his record of doing such over the past four seasons.
Rivera should excel in his new role. He’s well-liked, well-respected and obviously has contacts throughout the league. And, most importantly, he seems happy.