The Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday that they fired longtime head coach Ron Rivera, who was four games away from from finishing his ninth year with the team. Rivera’s Panthers teams have given the New Orleans Saints more consistent trouble than any other NFC South division rival; he leaves having accomplished a 76-33-1 record (.695), with four of Carolina’s eight division titles. They peaked with a 15-1 season in 2015, ultimately falling short in Super Bowl 50.
In his place, the Panthers designated secondary coach Perry Fewell as the interim head coach, with offensive coordinator Norv Turner his special assistant.