Ron Rivera Head Coaching Tenure

Lore & Background

Rivera was hired as the fourth head coach of the Panthers on January 11, 2011. He earned two NFL Coach of the Year awards with the Panthers (2013 and 2015). He led the team to a 15–1 record in 2015 and a Super Bowl 50 appearance. He was fired on December 3, 2019, after a 5–7 start to the season.

In Their Own Story

The lights hummed above Bank of America Stadium as the clock ticked down on a critical fourth-quarter drive. Rivera stood on the sideline, headset pressed to his ear, eyes scanning the gridiron where his defensive line held firm against the opposing rush. The roar of the crowd was a physical force, vibrating through the turf, but in that moment, there was only the play call and the trust built over eleven seasons.

Reader's Guide

Rivera's tenure with the Panthers lasted from 2011 through the 2019 season. He was fired during the 2019 season after Week 13. He is the only coach in NFL history to have led a team with a losing record to the playoffs more than once, doing so with Carolina in 2014.

Did You Know?

• Rivera led a team with a losing record to the playoffs more than once (Carolina in 2014 and Washington in 2020), a feat accomplished by several other NFL coaches.
• He earned the nickname 'Riverboat Ron' during the 2013 season for his aggressive decision-making.
• Rivera was the third Latino head coach in NFL history.