Where did Washington Commanders head coach and former NFL linebacker Ron Rivera start his football journey? It seems like football has always been River’a destiny, and as a result, he has spent most of his life involved with the game in one way or another.
Rivera has led a special football life, one that saw him play in the league for close to a decade and has now seen him be a coach in the NFL for over a quarter century and still counting.
With such a rich football life, one may wonder where and how he got here. Let’s take a closer look at where it all started for Riverboat Ron.
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Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera’s Background
Rivera was born on Jan. 7, 1962, in Fort Ord, California. His heritage is a blend of Puerto Rican from his father and Mexican from his mother.
Rivera’s father was a commissioned officer in the US Army and would frequently relocate the family during his career, which allowed the younger Rivera to have childhood experiences in places such as Germany, Panama, and Washington, D.C.
Rivera and his family would eventually settle in Marina, California. This is where Rivera was able to lock in and focus on his football life, which would engulf much of his life moving forward.
Rivera’s Coaching Career
Rivera played a full nine-year career in the NFL before becoming a league coach. Rivera was selected in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he played for them as a rotational linebacker and special teamer. He was a member of the 1986 Super Bowl championship team that defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
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Once his playing days were over, there was no confusion about what Rivera wanted to do next. He jumped right into coaching after a brief stint covering the Chicago Bears as an analyst and has been a coach in some capacity in the NFL for over 25 years.
Rivera is currently in his 13th season — with his second organization — as an NFL head coach. During that time, Rivera has led his teams to five playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl appearance with the Carolina Panthers.
Rivera’s next challenge is turning this Commanders’ team around after a long, tough tenure under their former ownership. Washington is at the beginning of a new chapter for their storied franchise and hope a strong leader like Rivera may be able to turn the fortunes of the franchise around.