Story by
Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly meet with former Commanders, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera
- Story by
- Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly meet with former Commanders, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera
The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be contemplating adding a former head coach to their staff under Liam Coen .
According to SI's John Shipley , the Jaguars met with former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera over the weekend for an undisclosed position on the staff.
Advertisement
Bringing in a former head coach makes sense for a first-time head coach like Coen, adding experience to the room to help guide him and the team in various ways.
LEADING THE DEFENSE: Jacksonville Jaguars hire Anthony Campanile: Everything to know about new defensive coordinator
Coen is in the middle of building his coaching staff.
Thus far, the team has made one addition, hiring former Green Bay Packers linebackers coach and defensive run-game coordinator Anthony Campanile as the team's defensive coordinator.
Campanile is a first-time defensive coordinator who has worked his way up through the ranks from high school to college and finally the pros. He began his NFL career as a linebackers coach with the Miami Dolphins in 2020.
Advertisement
Given Campanile's inexperience as a play-caller, it makes sense for the team to meet with potential defensive-minded former head coaches or experienced coaches.
Who is Ron Rivera, and what could he bring to the Jaguars?
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - JANUARY 07: Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera looks on during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField on January 07, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Rivera, 63, has 26 years of coaching experience, including 13 years of head coaching experience with the Panthers (2011-19) and Commanders (2020-23).
Rivera comes from a defensive background, starting as a quality control coach with the Chicago Bears in 1997 after playing linebacker for the team from 1984-1992.
Rivera moved on as a linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-03), before becoming the defensive coordinator for the Bears (2004-06), linebackers coach (2007) and defensive coordinator (2008-10) for the San Diego Chargers.
Advertisement
In 2015, Rivera made a Super Bowl appearance with the Panthers, falling 24-10 to the Denver Broncos . He won Associated Press Coach of the Year twice in 2013 and 2015.
Rivera finished with a career record of 105-108-2 (including postseason).
Bringing in Rivera would help Campanile grow accustomed to coordinating an entire defense and help Coen grow accustomed to the life of an NFL head coach.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, please consider becoming a subscriber to support local journalism in Northeast Florida .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars meet with Ron Rivera as potential aid to first-time coach Liam Coen
