The Carolina Panthers dismissed veteran head coach Ron Rivera on Tuesday after a disappointing 2019 campaign left the franchise with no choice but to move on.
Rivera, who became the fourth coach in the history of the young franchise in 2011, ultimately could not survive the disappointing 5-7 start to the season that his team has faced.
The 57-year-old coach will finish his tenure with Carolina with a 76-63-1 regular season record. He accomplished three winning seasons during his nine seasons in Carolina, winning three division titles and qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card team once.
Rivera’s best season as a coach was in 2015, when his juggernaut team led by a stingy defense and MVP quarterback Cam Newton stormed to a 15-1 regular season record. They ended up reaching the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Denver Broncos.
The former Bears and Chargers defensive coordinator finishes his head coaching tenure with the Panthers with a 3-4 playoff record.
Secondary coach Perry Fewell has been named the interim head coach for the Panthers, whose search for a new permanent head coach will begin immediately.
Rivera will likely have opportunities to find a new job as either a head coach or a defensive coordinator in the near future.
