Ron Rivera
Encyclopedia
Ronald Eugene Rivera is the head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers
. Rivera was a linebacker
on the 1985 Chicago Bears, who won Super Bowl XX
. Rivera was the defensive coordinator for the 2006 Chicago Bears, who won the National Football Conference
championship and competed in Super Bowl XLI
. He was the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers
prior to being named coach of the Panthers.
commissioned officer in the United States Army
stationed in California. There he met his future wife, Rivera's mother of Mexican
heritage. As a result of his father's military service, Rivera had to travel and was educated in military bases in Germany
, Panama
, Washington, D.C.
, and Maryland
. Finally his family moved to central California. There, he attended Seaside High School, where he first started playing football.
and played for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley
. He was an All-American linebacker
who once held his school's all-time sack and career tackles records. Rivera still holds the Cal record for most tackles for loss in a season, which he set in 1983.
, Rivera was selected in the second round by the Chicago Bears
, becoming the first Puerto Rican/Mexican to play in the NFL. During the 1985 season, Rivera played in Super Bowl XX
, where the Bears beat the New England Patriots
, 46-10. He thus became the first Puerto Rican to play on a Super Bowl Championship Team. Rivera played for the Bears for a total of nine seasons (1984–1992).
and SportsChannel Chicago
as a TV analyst covering the Bears and college football. In 1996, he became a defense quality control coach for the Bears.
. During his tenure the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship for three consecutive seasons. He is credited with developing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter
into a two-time Pro Bowl
performer.
In 2006, the Bears’ defensive efforts failed to match the success of their 2005 season. Nevertheless, the team was still a notable presence in league, finishing with the league’s third ranked and conference’s top-ranked points allowed category. The defense’s success earned Rivera recognition among franchises looking for new head coaches. The Arizona Cardinals
and Pittsburgh Steelers
interviewed him in January 2007. He was a candidate for the vacant Dallas Cowboys
head coaching position, a job that ultimately went to San Diego Chargers
defensive coordinator Wade Phillips
. Rivera was named as a potential candidate to replace the fired Marty Schottenheimer
in San Diego, but the job was filled by Norv Turner
, the brother of fellow offensive coordinator, Ron Turner
, Rivera's offensive counterpart in Chicago. After the announcement, ESPN
reported that the Bears were considering letting Rivera go. This came after several other teams interviewed him, and the negotiations between his representatives and the Bears were making little progress. On February 19, 2007, it was announced that Ron Rivera's contract with the Bears would not be renewed.
hired Rivera as team's inside linebackers coach after he left the Bears.
On October 28, 2008, Rivera was promoted to defensive coordinator with the Chargers after the team released former defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell
. Rivera had used the 4-3 defense
for most of his coaching career, but adopted a 3-4 scheme
with the Chargers.
. He is the third Latino to be an NFL head coach, the first being former Oakland Raiders
and Seattle Seahawks
coach Tom Flores
and second being former New Orleans Saints
coach Tom Fears
. At his press conference, Rivera announced the Panthers would use a 4-3.
. In 2003 Rivera was inducted into the Division 1-A College Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the California Sports Hall of Fame.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Rivera was a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
on the 1985 Chicago Bears, who won Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
. Rivera was the defensive coordinator for the 2006 Chicago Bears, who won the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
championship and competed in Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
. He was the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
prior to being named coach of the Panthers.
Early years
Rivera was born in Fort Ord, California. His father was a Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
commissioned officer in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
stationed in California. There he met his future wife, Rivera's mother of Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
heritage. As a result of his father's military service, Rivera had to travel and was educated in military bases in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Finally his family moved to central California. There, he attended Seaside High School, where he first started playing football.
College career
Rivera was granted a college scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
and played for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He was an All-American linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who once held his school's all-time sack and career tackles records. Rivera still holds the Cal record for most tackles for loss in a season, which he set in 1983.
Pro career
In the 1984 NFL Draft1984 NFL Draft
The 1984 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 1-2, 1984. No teams elected to claim any players in the regular supplemental draft that...
, Rivera was selected in the second round by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, becoming the first Puerto Rican/Mexican to play in the NFL. During the 1985 season, Rivera played in Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
, where the Bears beat the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, 46-10. He thus became the first Puerto Rican to play on a Super Bowl Championship Team. Rivera played for the Bears for a total of nine seasons (1984–1992).
Coaching career
In 1993, Rivera went to work for WGN-TVWGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
and SportsChannel Chicago
CSN Chicago
Comcast SportsNet Chicago is a member of the Comcast SportsNet network of regional sports networks that covers local sports teams in the Chicago area.-Background:CSN Chicago is jointly owned by NBCUniversal , the family of J...
as a TV analyst covering the Bears and college football. In 1996, he became a defense quality control coach for the Bears.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 1999, Rivera was named linebackers coach for the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. During his tenure the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship for three consecutive seasons. He is credited with developing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter
Jeremiah Trotter
Jeremiah Trotter is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stephen F...
into a two-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
performer.
Back in Chicago
On January 23, 2004, Rivera was named the Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator. In 2005, the Chicago Bears defense was rated second-best in the NFL. The Bears qualified for the NFC playoffs losing in the 2nd Round to the Carolina Panthers 29-21. The 2005 performance of the Chicago Bears earned him consideration for Head Coach assignments from several NFL teams.In 2006, the Bears’ defensive efforts failed to match the success of their 2005 season. Nevertheless, the team was still a notable presence in league, finishing with the league’s third ranked and conference’s top-ranked points allowed category. The defense’s success earned Rivera recognition among franchises looking for new head coaches. The Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
interviewed him in January 2007. He was a candidate for the vacant Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
head coaching position, a job that ultimately went to San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
defensive coordinator Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
. Rivera was named as a potential candidate to replace the fired Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
in San Diego, but the job was filled by Norv Turner
Norv Turner
Norval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
, the brother of fellow offensive coordinator, Ron Turner
Ron Turner (football coach)
Ron Turner is an American football coach. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. He was previously the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 1997 to 2004...
, Rivera's offensive counterpart in Chicago. After the announcement, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
reported that the Bears were considering letting Rivera go. This came after several other teams interviewed him, and the negotiations between his representatives and the Bears were making little progress. On February 19, 2007, it was announced that Ron Rivera's contract with the Bears would not be renewed.
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
hired Rivera as team's inside linebackers coach after he left the Bears.
On October 28, 2008, Rivera was promoted to defensive coordinator with the Chargers after the team released former defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell
Ted Cottrell
Theodore John "Ted" Cottrell is the former head coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League...
. Rivera had used the 4-3 defense
4-3 defense
In American football, a 4–3 defense is a defensive alignment consisting of four down linemen and three linebackers. It is probably the most commonly used defense in modern American football and especially in the National Football League. NFL teams that use the 4–3 defense as of 2011 include the...
for most of his coaching career, but adopted a 3-4 scheme
3-4 defense
In American football, the 3–4 defense is a defensive alignment consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers.The 3–4 defense declined in popularity over the years, but has found renewed use by modern professional and college football teams. The 3–4 defense is so named because it involves 3...
with the Chargers.
Carolina Panthers
On January 11, 2011, Rivera was named the fourth head coach of the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. He is the third Latino to be an NFL head coach, the first being former Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
coach Tom Flores
Tom Flores
Thomas R. "Tom" Flores is a retired American football quarterback and coach. Flores and Mike Ditka are the only two people in the National Football League history to win a Super Bowl as a player, as an assistant coach, and as a head coach...
and second being former New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
coach Tom Fears
Tom Fears
Thomas Jesse Fears was a Mexican-American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League, playing nine seasons from 1948 to 1956.-Early life:...
. At his press conference, Rivera announced the Panthers would use a 4-3.
Head Coaching Record
| Team | |Regular Season | CAR 2011 Carolina Panthers season The 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with... |
2011 2011 NFL season The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on... |
3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | NFC South | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAR Total | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||||
| Total | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||||
Personal life
Ron Rivera is married and has three children (Christopher, 23; Aldair, 21; & Courtney, 17) with his wife Stephanie, an assistant coach for the WNBA's Washington MysticsWashington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
. In 2003 Rivera was inducted into the Division 1-A College Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the California Sports Hall of Fame.