Washington 'An Easy Target - And I'm Tired of It' - Coach Ron Rivera

Coach Ron Rivera, speaking here at the NFL annual meetings here in Palm Beach, is being "frank'' about a problem.

PALM BEACH, Fla. - Coach Ron Rivera has been around along enough to fully understand the Washington Commanders' reputation.

“We’re an easy target,'' Rivera said Tuesday at the NFL annual meetings here in Palm Beach. "I get it, and frankly, I’m tired of it.''

The reputation? Not enough winning, for sure. And not enough good news coming from the front office, also for sure.

Rivera

Norwell

Wentz, Rivera

Rivera has the title of "head coach.'' But in reality, as he enters his third year in Washington, he is much more than that. After all, when was the last time a head coach was largely in charge of picking a nickname for an NFL team? Maybe 100 years ago?

The franchise won the NFC East in 2020, Rivera's first season here. But Washington was just 7-9 that season, creating a sort of "fool's gold'' impression. Overall, Washington hasn't had both a winning season and a division title since going 9-7 in 2015.

And Washington hasn't won a playoff game since 2005.

Maybe the lack of respect for this season's offseason moves - the trade for quarterback Carson Wentz and the signing of two outside free agents, guard Andrew Norwell and defensive end Efe Obada - is the result of Washington's sad-sack recent history.

To wit, NFL.com recently offered up its new power rankings, and no, Washington did not move up after the acquisition of Wentz, who figures as the replacement for now-backup Taylor Heinicke.

Washington actually slid down a spot from its previous perch, to No. 26.

An ''easy target''? Indeed. "Tired of it''? You bet.

Rivera might not have all the answers as to how to fix all of this. But he knows the big-picture solution to no longer being that "easy target.''

"We have to win,'' he said. "That’s the truth of the matter.”