The 2015 NFL season did not begin well for Panthers coach Ron Rivera.
His brother, Mickey, lost a battle with cancer just as training camp opened. The Panthers then saw receivers Kelvin Benjamin and Stephen Hill and defensive end Frank Alexander go down during training camp with season-ending injuries.
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But Rivera kept his team together and was named the NFL's Coach of the Year on Saturday after leading the Panthers to an NFL-best 15-1 record and an NFC championship.