Did Ron Rivera Troll 'Coach' Jason Garrett?

The Washington Football Team coach took a playful poke at the New York Giants' assistant

Jeremy Brener | Aug 8, 2021

Since arriving in Washington, Ron Rivera has had plenty to deal with.

He inherited a team that won just three games. He's dealt with quarterback controversies, quarterback injuries, a team name identity crisis, COVID-19 and his own cancer diagnosis.

But even with all of the pressure piled onto Rivera's plate, he's found ways to keep it light-hearted.

At the end of Sunday's training camp press conference, a Washington Post reporter said, "Thank you, Ron."

“Oh, it’s 'Coach,'” Rivera said with a wink, before adding, "just kidding.”

The back-and-forth played off a similar - yet more serious - exchange earlier in the week at New York Giants training camp with former Dallas Cowboys head coach and current offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

A reporter told Garrett, “good to see you in person, Jason.” To which Garrett replied, “good to see you, 'Coach' ... that's what we say around here.”

Garrett's episode - which may have been more about "politeness'' than "titles'' - sparked controversy on social media and commenced a debate as to whether reporters should be referring to coaches as "coach."

The “coach” debate was originally launched by Jackson State head coach and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders, who abruptly ended a press conference after a reporter addressed him as only as “Deion” instead of "Coach."

At the end of the day, it doesn't seem like Rivera cares whether you call him "Coach" or "Ron," he just seems happy to be there and grinding toward another NFC East division title. And, of course, happy to take a friendly jab at a division coaching rival.

CONTINUE READING: Coach Rivera: A Plan to Win Back ‘Curious’ Washington Fans?

Published Aug 8, 2021

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.