Former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera says he still wants to coach in NFL

Ron Rivera still wants to coach in the NFL.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Panthers owner David Tepper talks with former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera during pregame warmups at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was at the game on Sunday. What he saw was a Panthers victory, an overtime thriller that eliminated the Arizona Cardinals from postseason contention.

Rivera was the head coach for most of Cam Newton's tenure. Newton was really the last franchise QB the Panthers had. On Sunday, he got a glimpse of the next franchise QB in Bryce Young, with whom he shared a hug after the game. It all reminded Rivera why he loves the NFL and he revealed that he still has the desire to coach.

Ron Rivera open to NFL comeback

Ron Rivera hasn't coached since the end of the 2023 season, when he was fired and replaced by Dan Quinn in Washington. He hasn't coached in Carolina since the end of the 2018 season, when he was fired and replaced eventually with Matt Rhule.

He still wants to coach, though. “Would I consider getting back into the league? Yeah, I most certainly would,” Rivera said. “If the opportunity comes to interview for a head coaching job, or assistant head coach or coordinator, yeah, I’d most certainly consider it. I love the game. I think I still have something to contribute.”

He hinted at possibly taking a college job just to get back into coaching. Rivera suffered a bout with cancer, but he's been out of treatment since October 2020. He remains the winningest coach in Panthers' history with a 76-63-1 record and a team-best .546 win percentage. He also won two Coach of the Year awards.

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