“Riverboat Ron” is facing a fierce current, one that could get his chances to continue with the Washington Commanders to sink.
Ron Rivera witnessed his team get out-performed and out-coached in the 40-20 loss to the previously winless Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. Now, Commanders fans and members of the media believe it’s time for Rivera to abort ship before things capsize further.
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Fans Voice Their Displeasure to Ron Rivera: ‘Era Can’t End Soon Enough’
Fans of the Commanders filled the X (formerly known as Twitter) timeline with their displeasure with the now 2-3 team.
One fan took a picture of the second-quarter score and posted how this current era “can’t end soon enough.”
The Ron Rivera era can't end soon enough pic.twitter.com/qaejTvMNrB
— Tailgate Ted (@TailgateTed) October 6, 2023
Two fans agreed with the post, one saying, “Yeah, it’s about time now,” and another sharing how he would’ve fired Rivera at halftime.
Another fan shared how Rivera benefitted from the backing of the previous owner Daniel Snyder. But now that the Commanders are under new ownership, the fans believe Rivera doesn’t have much backing.
“Without Snyder as a scapegoat, Ron Rivera’s entire operation has been exposed. The deeper issue…Ron should have never been given this much control,” the fan posted.
One more fan posted how he believes it’s not just Rivera who deserves to go — but also his defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
This is Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio’s last year
— Jordan (@wshingtontoday) October 6, 2023
Rivera did have a defender in the form of Bay Area radio personality Bonta Hill. The KNBR host believed Rivera wasn’t the problem.
Ron Rivera needs to send Jack Del Rio home – at halftime.
— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) October 6, 2023
But still, the voices are getting louder for Rivera to be canned by Commanders fans.
“New ownership is awesome but they still need to rip the Ron Rivera & Del Rio Band-Aid off and until that happens we won’t see change on the field,” one more Commander fan posted.
One fan even took notice of how Rivera was showing no fiery emotion when his team was down by 24.
Down 27-3 at home and we see zero emotion from Ron Rivera. He’s got one foot out the door and will have an NFL Network gig next year.
— Thomas Richard (@ThomasRichardDC) October 6, 2023
Has Rivera Lost His Mystique? Current Trend Points That Direction
There was a time when Rivera was one of the more established head coaches in the NFL. One who was not shy about taking gambles (helping birth his Riverboat nickname) plus establishing hard-nosed football teams.
MORE: Washington Commanders Depth Chart
And in 2015, it appeared Rivera was at the top of his coaching game. That was when he guided the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 season that ended with winning the NFC title.
But since that season, Rivera has witnessed this downward spiral:
- Rivera has only produced two playoff teams since that NFC title run. And both times his teams exited out of the first round.
- He’s gone 53-63 since the 2016 season.
- With Washington, his teams have either settled for third or fourth since his first season of 2020 — the year they won the NFC East with a 7-9 record.
Rivera and the Commanders still have a lot of football left with 12 games remaining. However, the calls for his dismissal are growing larger and larger, with the energy of an ocean gyre out to attempt to capsize the “Riverboat Ron” era.
