History of Ron Rivera in Timeline
Ron Rivera is a former NFL linebacker and current football analyst. He played nine seasons for the Chicago Bears, winning Super Bowl XX in 1985. Rivera transitioned to coaching, achieving significant success as a head coach, most notably with the Carolina Panthers. He earned the NFL Coach of the Year award twice, solidifying his reputation as a respected figure in professional football. He is currently an analyst for the California Golden Bears.
January 7, 1962: Ronald Rivera Born
On January 7, 1962, Ronald Eugene Rivera was born. He would later become an NFL player and coach.
1972: Death of Roberto Clemente
In 1972, Ron Rivera's idol, Roberto Clemente, died in a plane crash while delivering aid.
1980: Graduation from Seaside High School
In 1980, Ron Rivera graduated from Seaside High School in Marina, California.
August 1983: Met Stephanie Tamayo
In August 1983, Ron Rivera met his future wife, Stephanie Tamayo, while they were both at Cal.
1983: Awards and Honors
During his final season in 1983, Ron Rivera received several awards and honors including being named a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Football Defensive Player of the Year.
1984: Married Stephanie Tamayo
In 1984, Ron Rivera married Stephanie Tamayo.
1984: Drafted by the Chicago Bears
In 1984, Ron Rivera was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the NFL draft.
1985: Super Bowl XX Win
In 1985, Ron Rivera was part of the Chicago Bears team that won Super Bowl XX.
1988: Bears Man of the Year
In 1988, Ron Rivera was named the Chicago Bears' Man of the Year.
1992: Retirement after 1992 Season
After nine seasons, Ron Rivera retired from the NFL after the 1992 season.
1993: Television Analyst
In 1993, Ron Rivera started working as a television analyst for WGN-TV and SportsChannel Chicago, covering the Bears and college football.
1994: Inducted into California Athletics Hall of Fame
In 1994, Ron Rivera was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame.
1997: Bears Quality Control Coach
In 1997, Ron Rivera began his coaching career as a quality control coach for the Chicago Bears.
1999: Eagles Linebackers Coach
In 1999, Ron Rivera became the linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles under head coach Andy Reid.
2000: Stephanie coaches for Washington Mystics
In 2000, Stephanie Rivera, Ron Rivera's wife, served as an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA.
January 23, 2004: Defensive Coordinator for Chicago Bears
On January 23, 2004, Ron Rivera was named the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.
2004: Bears Defensive Coordinator
In 2004, Ron Rivera rejoined the Chicago Bears as their defensive coordinator.
2005: Assistant Coach of the Year
In 2005, Ron Rivera was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association.
2005: First Playoff Win since 2005
In 2014, the Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card Round for the team's first playoff win since 2005.
2006: Bears Advance to Super Bowl XLI
In 2006, the Chicago Bears had the league's third-ranked defense in terms of points allowed, which helped them advance to Super Bowl XLI.
2006: Super Bowl XLI Appearance
In 2006, the Chicago Bears, with Ron Rivera as defensive coordinator, made an appearance in Super Bowl XLI.
February 2007: Joins San Diego Chargers Coaching Staff
In February 2007, Ron Rivera was hired by the San Diego Chargers to become their inside linebackers coach.
February 2007: Contract with Bears Not Extended
In February 2007, it was announced that Ron Rivera's contract with the Chicago Bears would not be extended.
2007: Joins San Diego Chargers Coaching Staff
In 2007, Ron Rivera joined the San Diego Chargers as a linebackers coach.
October 2008: Promoted to Defensive Coordinator
In October 2008, Ron Rivera was promoted to defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers.
2008: Playoffs for the First time since 2008
In 2013, Ron Rivera led the Panthers to playoffs for the first time since 2008.
January 11, 2011: Hired as Carolina Panthers Head Coach
On January 11, 2011, Ron Rivera was hired as the fourth head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
2012: Panthers Finish 7-9
In 2012, the Carolina Panthers finished with a 7-9 record and finished second in the division under Ron Rivera.
2013: AP NFL Coach of the Year
In 2013, Ron Rivera was honored as the AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Panthers to a successful season.
2014: Led Panthers to Playoffs with Losing Record
In 2014, Ron Rivera led the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs with a losing record.
2014: Second Consecutive NFC South Title
In 2014, the Panthers, under Ron Rivera, recovered from a slow start to win the NFC South for the second consecutive year.
January 5, 2015: Home Catches Fire
On January 5, 2015, Ron Rivera's home in Charlotte, North Carolina, caught fire, causing partial damage, but all family members escaped without injury.
2015: Second AP NFL Coach of the Year Award and Super Bowl 50 Appearance
In 2015, Ron Rivera was recognized as the AP NFL Coach of the Year for the second time, and led the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl 50.
2015: Brother Mickey Died
In 2015, Ron Rivera's brother Mickey died from pancreatic cancer.
2016: Panthers Miss Playoffs
In 2016, the Carolina Panthers struggled, finishing 6-10 and did not qualify for the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
2017: Panthers Enter Playoffs
In 2017, The Panthers improved and finished with an 11-5 record, entering the playoffs, but they lost in the Wild Card Round 31–26 to the New Orleans Saints.
January 2018: Signs Contract Extension
In January 2018, Ron Rivera signed a two-year contract extension with the Carolina Panthers.
2018: Panthers Missed the Playoffs
In the 2018 season, the Panthers finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs despite starting with a 6-2 record.
December 3, 2019: Fired by Carolina Panthers
On December 3, 2019, Ron Rivera was fired as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
2019: Fired by the Carolina Panthers
Near the end of the 2019 season, Ron Rivera was fired as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
January 1, 2020: Hired as Washington Football Team Head Coach
On January 1, 2020, Ron Rivera was hired as the head coach of the Washington Football Team.
August 2020: Diagnosed with Cancer
In August 2020, Ron Rivera was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in a lymph node of his neck.
2020: Hired as Washington's Head Coach and Cancer Diagnosis
In 2020, Ron Rivera became the head coach of the Washington Football Team and was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma.
2020: Charity Yard Sale
In 2020, Ron Rivera held a charity yard sale in Charlotte after being hired as the Washington head coach, raising over $30,000 for the humane society.
2020: Nephew Hired as Quality Control Coach
In 2020, Ron Rivera's nephew, Vincent, was hired as a defensive quality control coach under him in Washington.
January 2021: Considered Cancer Free
By late January 2021, Ron Rivera was considered cancer-free after treatment for squamous cell carcinoma.
April 2021: Donates to Charity
In April 2021, Ron Rivera donated $100,000 to Rich Eisen's Run Rich Run charity event for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
2021: Declared Cancer Free
By early 2021, Ron Rivera was considered cancer free.
2021: Mayhew hired but Rivera retains say
In 2021, Martin Mayhew was hired but Rivera retained final say in football matters.
2021: Fitzpatrick Injured
In 2021, Ryan Fitzpatrick was injured in the first game of the regular season, which resulted in Heinicke being the starter for the rest of the season with a final record of 7–10.
April 2022: Joins Washington Speakers Bureau
In April 2022, Ron Rivera became an exclusive speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau, utilizing his experiences to motivate audiences.
2022: Wentz Trade
During the 2022 offseason, Carson Wentz was traded to the Washington Commanders with Ron Rivera publicly stating he was directly responsible for the move.
2022: Awarded George Halas Award
In 2022, Ron Rivera was awarded the George Halas Award by the Pro Football Writers of America for his battle with cancer.
2023: Joins ESPN as Analyst
After being fired by Washington, Ron Rivera joined ESPN as an analyst in 2023.
2023: Rivera Replaced Turner
In 2023, Ron Rivera replaced Scott Turner with former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
January 8, 2024: Rivera Fired
After the Commanders finished the 2023 season with a 4–13 record, Rivera was fired on January 8, 2024.
March 2024: Hired as ESPN Analyst
In March 2024, Ron Rivera joined ESPN as an analyst for NFL Live and also serves as an analyst for select Westwood One games.
February 5, 2025: Returns to California as Analyst
On February 5, 2025, Ron Rivera returned to his alma mater, California, taking on a general manager-like role as an analyst.
