Ronald Eugene Rivera is a former American football linebacker and coach. He played college football at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was an All-American linebacker. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft and played nine seasons with the team, winning Super Bowl XX in 1985. He later became a football coach and analyst.
January 7, 1962: Birth of Ron Rivera
Ron Rivera was born in Fort Ord, California on January 7, 1962.
1972: Rivera's Idol, Roberto Clemente, Dies
Ron Rivera's childhood idol, baseball player Roberto Clemente, tragically died in a plane crash in 1972 while on a humanitarian mission.
1980: Graduation from Seaside High School
Ron Rivera graduated from Seaside High School in 1980.
August 1983: Rivera Meets Future Wife Stephanie
Ron Rivera met his future wife, Stephanie Tamayo, in August 1983 while they were both at the University of California, Berkeley.
1983: Recognized for Outstanding Performance as Linebacker at UC Berkeley
In 1983, during his final season at the University of California, Berkeley, Ron Rivera received several awards and honors for his exceptional performance as a linebacker, including being named a consensus All-American.
1984: Rivera Marries Stephanie Tamayo
Ron Rivera and Stephanie Tamayo were married in 1984, beginning their life together.
1984: Drafted by the Chicago Bears
Ron Rivera was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft.
1985: Super Bowl XX Victory with the Chicago Bears
In 1985, Ron Rivera, as a member of the Chicago Bears, won Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots.
1988: Chicago Bears Man of the Year
Ron Rivera was named the Chicago Bears' Man of the Year in 1988.
1992: Retirement from Playing Career
Ron Rivera retired from his playing career in the NFL after the 1992 season.
1993: Transition to Television Analyst
In 1993, Ron Rivera transitioned into a role as a television analyst for WGN-TV and SportsChannel Chicago, providing coverage of the Chicago Bears and college football.
1994: Rivera Inducted into California Athletics Hall of Fame
In recognition of his accomplishments as a football player at the University of California, Berkeley, Ron Rivera was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.
1997: Coaching Debut with the Chicago Bears
Ron Rivera began his coaching career in 1997 as a quality control coach for the Chicago Bears.
1999: Appointed Linebackers Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles
In 1999, Ron Rivera was appointed as the linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Andy Reid.
2000: Stephanie Rivera Coaches in the WNBA
Stephanie Rivera, a former basketball player, served as an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA in 2000, showcasing her coaching expertise.
January 23, 2004: Became Defensive Coordinator of the Chicago Bears
Ron Rivera was named defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears on January 23, 2004.
2004: Named Defensive Coordinator of the Chicago Bears
In 2004, Ron Rivera returned to the Chicago Bears as their defensive coordinator.
2005: Success with the Chicago Bears Defense
In 2005, the Chicago Bears defense, under the leadership of Ron Rivera, achieved the second-best ranking in the league for total yardage, contributing to the team's NFC North division win with an 11-5 record.
2005: Carolina Panthers' First Playoff Win Since 2005
The Carolina Panthers, led by Ron Rivera, secured their first playoff victory since 2005 by defeating the Arizona Cardinals with a score of 27-16 in the NFC Wild Card playoff game in 2014.
2006: Super Bowl XLI Appearance as Defensive Coordinator
Ron Rivera served as the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears during their Super Bowl XLI appearance in 2006, where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts.
2006: Chicago Bears' Defensive Success
The Chicago Bears, with Ron Rivera as defensive coordinator, boasted the league's third-ranked defense in terms of points allowed in 2006, a performance that helped them reach Super Bowl XLI.
February 2007: Contract Not Extended with the Chicago Bears
It was announced in February 2007 that Ron Rivera's contract with the Chicago Bears would not be extended.
February 2007: Hired as Linebackers Coach for the San Diego Chargers
Ron Rivera was hired by the San Diego Chargers in February 2007 to serve as their inside linebackers coach.
2007: Joined the San Diego Chargers
Ron Rivera joined the San Diego Chargers as linebackers coach in 2007.
October 2008: Promoted to Defensive Coordinator for the San Diego Chargers
Ron Rivera's role within the San Diego Chargers evolved in October 2008 when he was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator following the dismissal of Ted Cottrell.
2008: Carolina Panthers End Playoff Drought
The Carolina Panthers, under the guidance of Ron Rivera, ended a period of playoff absence by qualifying for the postseason in 2008 for the first time since 2008.
January 11, 2011: Appointed Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers
Ron Rivera was appointed as the fourth head coach of the Carolina Panthers on January 11, 2011, making him the third Latino in NFL history to hold this position.
2012: Carolina Panthers Finish Second in Division
Under Ron Rivera's leadership, the Carolina Panthers finished the 2012 season with a 7-9 record, securing second place in their division.
2013: NFL Coach of the Year Honor
Ron Rivera was recognized as the NFL Coach of the Year in 2013 for his work with the Carolina Panthers.
2014: Leading the Carolina Panthers to the Playoffs
Ron Rivera achieved a notable feat in 2014 by leading the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs despite having a losing record, making him the only NFL coach to accomplish this multiple times.
2014: Rivera's First Season in Washington: Challenges and Triumphs
Ron Rivera's first season with Washington in 2014 was marked by challenges, including implementing a new culture, navigating the team's name change, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, battling cancer, and releasing quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Despite these obstacles, he led the team to an NFC East title with a 7-9 record, mirroring his success with the 2014 Panthers.
January 5, 2015: Fire at Rivera's Charlotte Home
On January 5, 2015, Ron Rivera's home in Charlotte, North Carolina, suffered fire damage. Fortunately, Rivera and his family escaped unharmed.
2015: Carolina Panthers' Historic Season and Super Bowl Appearance
In 2015, Ron Rivera led the Carolina Panthers to their best season ever, finishing 15-1 and winning the NFC Championship. They played in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos, marking the first time both head coaches had previously played in a Super Bowl. Although the Panthers lost 24-10, their dominant defense throughout the season led by Rivera was recognized as he received the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award.
2015: Second NFL Coach of the Year Award
Ron Rivera received his second NFL Coach of the Year Award in 2015 for his coaching performance with the Carolina Panthers.
2015: Rivera's Brother Dies of Pancreatic Cancer
Ron Rivera's brother, Michael, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2015, adding to the family's history with the disease.
2016: Panthers Miss Playoffs
The Carolina Panthers, under Ron Rivera's leadership, experienced a setback in 2016, finishing with a 6-10 record and missing the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
2017: Panthers Return to Playoffs but Fall Short
In 2017, the Carolina Panthers, coached by Ron Rivera, improved their record to 11-5, securing a playoff spot. However, their playoff run was cut short with a loss to the New Orleans Saints in the first round.
January 2018: Rivera Signs Contract Extension with Panthers
In January 2018, Ron Rivera signed a two-year contract extension with the Carolina Panthers, worth US$15.5 million, reflecting the team's confidence in his leadership.
2018: David Tepper Purchases Carolina Panthers
David Tepper purchased the Carolina Panthers in 2018, marking a change in ownership for the franchise.
2018: Panthers Miss Playoffs Despite Strong Start
Despite starting strong with a 6-2 record, the Carolina Panthers, led by Ron Rivera, faltered in the latter half of the 2018 season, finishing 7-9 and missing the playoffs.
December 3, 2019: Rivera Fired by Carolina Panthers
After nine seasons as head coach, Ron Rivera was fired by the Carolina Panthers on December 3, 2019, following a 5-7 start to the season. The decision came from new owner David Tepper, who wanted to build his own approach for the team.
2019: Fired from the Carolina Panthers
Ron Rivera was fired as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers midway through the 2019 season.
January 1, 2020: Rivera Hired as Head Coach of Washington Football Team
Ron Rivera was hired as the 30th head coach of the Washington Football Team (then known as the Redskins) on January 1, 2020. He brought in familiar faces from Carolina, including Scott Turner as offensive coordinator and Jack Del Rio as defensive coordinator.
August 2020: Ron Rivera Diagnosed with Cancer
In August 2020, Ron Rivera was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in a lymph node in his neck. This diagnosis came after a family history of cancer, including the loss of his brother to pancreatic cancer in 2015 and his mother to lung cancer in 2022.
2020: Rivera's Nephew Joins Washington Coaching Staff
Ron Rivera's nephew, Vincent, was hired as a defensive quality control coach for the Washington Football Team in 2020, marking a family connection on the coaching staff.
2020: Became Head Coach of the Washington Football Team and Cancer Diagnosis
Ron Rivera was hired as the head coach of the Washington Football Team in 2020. The same year, he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma.
2020: Rivera's Charity Yard Sale
After becoming head coach in Washington, Ron Rivera held a charity yard sale in 2020, selling Carolina Panthers apparel and merchandise. The sale raised over US$30,000 for the humane society of Charlotte.
January 2021: Ron Rivera Declared Cancer-Free
By late January 2021, Ron Rivera was declared cancer-free after undergoing seven weeks of treatment, which included proton therapy and chemotherapy.
April 2021: Rivera Makes Charitable Donation
In April 2021, after becoming cancer-free, Ron Rivera donated $100,000 to the Rich Eisen's Run Rich Run charity event, which supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
2021: Quarterback Carousel in Washington
During the 2021 NFL season, Ron Rivera's decision to start Ryan Fitzpatrick was cut short due to an injury in the first game. Taylor Heinicke stepped in as the starter, leading the team to a 7-10 record under Rivera's guidance.
2021: Declared Cancer-Free
In early 2021, Ron Rivera was declared cancer-free.
2021: Washington Football Team Hires General Manager
The Washington Football Team hired Martin Mayhew for the role of general manager in 2021, providing support for Ron Rivera in building the team.
2022: Wentz, Heinicke, and Controversial Coaching Decisions
In 2022, Ron Rivera advocated for the trade of Carson Wentz to be Washington's starting quarterback. After a slow start, Heinicke replaced Wentz, leading the team to playoff contention. However, Rivera's decision to bench Heinicke in favor of Wentz in Week 17 backfired, leading to a loss and criticism for his post-game comments.
2022: Rivera's Mother Dies of Lung Cancer; He Receives George Halas Award
Tragically, Ron Rivera's mother, Dolores, died from lung cancer in 2022. In a testament to his resilience and strength during his own cancer battle, Rivera received the prestigious George Halas Award from the Pro Football Writers of America in 2022.
2023: Coaching Changes and Starting Quarterback Decision
In 2023, Ron Rivera made significant coaching changes, hiring Eric Bieniemy as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator and later taking over as interim defensive coordinator after Jack Del Rio's firing. He also named Sam Howell as the starting quarterback.
2023: Fired from the Washington Football Team
Ron Rivera was fired from his position as head coach of the Washington Football Team after the 2023 NFL season.
January 8, 2024: Rivera Fired as Commanders Head Coach
Ron Rivera was fired as the head coach of the Washington Commanders on January 8, 2024, after a disappointing season that saw the team eliminated from playoff contention.
March 2024: Rivera Joins ESPN as Analyst
Following his coaching stint with the Washington Commanders, Ron Rivera joined ESPN as an analyst for NFL Live in March 2024.