The Arizona Cardinals are still searching for a head coach. While nearly every other vacancy has been filled, save for Arizona, the Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cardinals are leaving no stone unturned. Dianna Russini of The Athletic revealed on Tuesday that Arizona State recently interviewed former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera.
Rivera, the current general manager of his alma mater Cal football team, was fired in January 2024 after four seasons in Washington. Rivera, who also served as the Commanders’ de facto general manager and finished with a 26-40-1 record, may be remembered primarily for his poor draft picks in Washington. By the middle of the 2024 season, all four of Washington’s first-round picks from 2020-23 are no longer on the roster.
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Before Rivera came to Washington, he served as head coach of the Carolina Panthers for nine seasons, compiling a 76-63-1 record. However, he lost six of his nine seasons with the Panthers, and Rivera won just eight or fewer 10 games in 13 years as head coach.
Rivera, 64, spent nine seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears before turning to coaching. He served as defensive coordinator for the Bears and Chargers before being hired as Carolina’s head coach in 2011.
Last offseason, Rivera interviewed for the Eagles and Cowboys defensive coordinator vacancies.
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Rivera will take over as California general manager in March 2025.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Arizona Cardinals Interview with HC Ron Rivera
