Could there be a third act to Ron Rivera’s career as an NFL head coach? If so, it might happen in the AFC East.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero broke the news on Monday, December 30, that the New York Jets were set to interview Rivera, the former Washington Commanders head coach, for their head coach opening.
“The #Jets are scheduled to interview Ron Rivera for their head coaching job this week, per sources,” Pelissero wrote on his official X account. “In 13 seasons with Carolina and Washington, Rivera made the playoffs five times, including an appearance in Super Bowl 50. The first of many HC interviews to come in NYJ’s search.”
The Jets are 4-1 fired head coach Robert Saleh on October 8 after the team got off to a 2-3 start and replaced him with interim head coach Jeff Ullbrich.
Rivera went 26-40-1 in 4 seasons as Washington’s head coach, including leading the team to its last postseason berth in 2020.
Rivera’s Tumultuous Time With Commanders
While there’s no reason to make excuses for Rivera’s failure in Washington, it’s worth pointing out he spent almost a decade as one of the NFL’s elite head coaches with the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019 and was one of the league’s best defensive assistants and defensive coordinators for a decade before that.
While he was in Carolina, Rivera led the Panthers to the playoffs 4 times and was named NFL Coach of the Year twice, in 2013 and again in 2015 after the Panthers went 15-1 and lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Rivera went 76-63-1 in Carolina and was fired after a 5-7 start in 2019.
Rivera, 62 years old, has a 102-103-2 overall recrod in 13 seasons a a head coach and also won a Super Bowl as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears in 1985.
The Commanders have thrived in their first year following the Rivera era under new head coach Dan Quinn, clinching a playoff spot with an overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17.
Jets One of Worst-Run Teams in Pro Sports
The Jets are widely thought of as one of the worst run teams in professional sports under owner and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson.
The Jets have the longest playoff drought out of any team in a major professional sports league in North America at 14 seasons.
“Though the reality had set in weeks ago, the Jets (3-10) were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss, extending their postseason drought to 14 seasons,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini wrote on December 8. “They nudged past the Buffalo Sabres (13), giving them the longest active streak among the five major sports leagues in North America — the NFL, NBA, MLB, NFL and WNBA. The Los Angeles Angels (10) and Pittsburgh Pirates (nine) are next on the list.”
Former Jets head coach Rex Ryan — the last coach to lead the Jets to the playoffs — told ESPN Radio on December 30 he believed he would also be interviewed for the opening.
Whoever the Jets hire, he will be their fifth head coach in the last decade following Ryan, current Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles (2015-2018), Adam Gase (2019-2020) and Saleh (2021-2024).
Former Commanders Head Coach Set to Interview With AFC East Doormat