Ron Rivera needs to win this season
Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera appears to be feeling the heat ahead of the 2023 season. The Commanders made some swift and important changes this offseason. The Commanders hired Eric Bieniemy to run the offense, and Sam Howell will be his starting quarterback. Rivera is banking on his heavily invested in defense to lead the way in a transition year that has high stakes in his fourth year with the team.
According to Matthew Paras of The Washington Times, Rivera said he understood he could be fired if the team doesn’t perform this season. But Rivera believes he’s set the team up for long-term success:
“I could be gone in a year. That’s football,” Rivera said. “I understand that. But what I want to do, is when I leave, I want everybody to go and say, ‘Boy the roster’s in a good place.’ … That’s great. I want to walk away saying that’s what I did. I’m good with it. I understand it.
“I’m not going to be desperate. I’m not. Because when you’re desperate, you make bad decisions.”
In 2020, his first year on the job, Rivera took the Commanders to their first postseason appearance since the 2015 season. The Commanders lost to the Tom Brady-led and championship-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23. The Commanders have not been to the playoffs since that game. Rivera is 22-27-1 with the Commanders after three seasons. They finished in fourth place in a stacked NFC East division last season after going 8-8-1.
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