Ron Rivera has arguably led the Carolina Panthers through their most successful string of seasons during his tenure as a first-time head coach. Getting the opportunity after John Fox followed his final playoff appearance in Carolina with 8-8 and 2-14 seasons, the latter led to a change.
Enter Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The two have worked tirelessly together, winning three consecutive divisional championships from 2013-15 and again reaching the playoffs following the 2017 season.
Under new ownership, Rivera continued to operate but a 7-9 overall record with seven consecutive losses likely didn’t leave David Tepper feeling great about his investment.