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Ex-Panthers coach Ron Rivera on what growing NFL teams need the most

Ron Rivera expressed his thoughts on what the NFL needs more of in a league that is quarterback driven.

Dorothy Howard

Ron Rivera head coach Carolina Panthers stands on the sidelines in the NFL NFC South against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Ron Rivera head coach Carolina Panthers stands on the sidelines in the NFL NFC South against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire)

Former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is speaking out about what he believes NFL teams should be focusing on. Specifically, Rivera is calling for changes from how teams manage their younger quarterbacks and coaches.

For their part, the Panthers were quick to bench Bryce Young after two poor performances at the start of the season, before eventually making the switch back to him in Week 8 due to an Andy Dalton thumb injury. Rivera is preaching patience, though.

Speaking in an interview, Rivera spoke about the recent benchings for young quarterbacks. Speaking about former team owner Jerry Richardson, Rivera said, "He understood that we were building and what did we get? Quarterback. Quarterback. We got our quarterback on offense and we got our quarterback on defense."

At their best, Rivera's Panthers built their success on former quarterback Cam Newton and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, who was the "quarterback" on defense. Both were influential in the Panthers' run to Super Bowl 50. The former coach commented on the achievements that both Newton and Kuechly had with the Panthers. He said, "Both guys at one point were rookie of the year and both guys at one point were the MVP of their side of the ball." Both Newton and Kuechly found their footing in the league, but it required patience from the Panthers.

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Dorothy Howard
DOROTHY HOWARD

Dorothy is graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in English Creative Writing. She has been a lifelong Carolina Panthers fan and has written on multiple sites covering the Panthers.