Ron Rivera is probably best known to the younger generation of football fans for his coaching prowess.
The Washington Commanders head coach has earned a career record of 102-97-2 during a career spanning 13 seasons (and counting). His most notable accolades in that time include two AP Coach of the Year awards and an appearance in Super Bowl 50 at the helm of the Carolina Panthers.
Rivera cut his teeth in the coaching ranks with the Chicago Bears, starting out in the Windy City as a quality control coach in 1997. He detoured to Philadelphia for a few years to coach linebackers before returning to Chicago as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Rivera helped revive the famed “Monsters of the Midway” defense for the Bears, overseeing a ferocious defensive unit led by stalwart linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. That’s fitting, given Rivera himself once starred as a linebacker for a fearsome Chicago defense.
Ron Rivera’s Playing Career
Before he stalked the sidelines on game day, Rivera was a standout on the field at linebacker for the California Golden Bears. He led the team in tackles three seasons in a row, earning All-American honors as well as being named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 1983.
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For his efforts, he got to remain a Bear, albeit a more well-compensated one. The Chicago franchise selected Rivera 44th overall in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft. The Bears were the only pro team Rivera would suit up for during his nine-year pro career.
Unfortunately, Rivera played during a bygone era when tackles weren’t an officially recorded statistic. According to his Wikipedia page, he is credited with 392 tackles, nine interceptions, 7.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries during his pro career.
Rivera wasn’t a full-time starter, but he was a regular and reliable part of the rotation as well as on special teams units. And he still piled up 62 starts during his 137 career games played.
Rivera’s production and longevity are a testament to his ability on the gridiron. The Bears obviously tabbed him as a second-round talent for a reason. His playing time was largely capped due to the wealth of defensive talent surrounding him. That was never more evident than during Chicago’s legendary 1985 season.
The “Monsters of the Midway” rose to prominence that season, completely stonewalling every offense to cross their path. In fact, the Bears let up a grand total of 10 points during their three-game march that postseason, posting two playoff shutouts before culminating the season with a 46-10 shellacking of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
The linebacker group for that Bears team included Hall of Famer Mike Singletary, who was flanked by two All-Pro guys in Otis Wilson and Wilber Marshall. It’s easy to see then why Rivera didn’t immediately crack into the starting lineup.
But he was the primary backup to all three and, as such, a hugely important piece of the puzzle in his own right — something he acknowledged in an interview with ESPN a year ago.
“It’s part of me,” Rivera said of the ’85 Bears. “We were a cast of characters.”
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