The surprising Tuesday news that the Carolina Panthers decided to fire head coach Ron Rivera ultimately came down to one thing. Owner David Tepper, who purchased the team in May, 2018, wanted his own guy. Rivera had a 76-63-1 regular-season record since he took the Panthers job in 2011, with a 3-4 postseason record and a loss to the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Rivera won the NFL’s Coach of the Year award in 2013 and 2015, and it was more Carolina’s recent struggles that set Tepper looking for somebody else.
In 2018, the Panthers started the season with a 6-2 record, only to end the season with a 7-9 mark as the offense tanked around Cam Newton’s injuries. Newton’s health was a continuing factor in 2019 — he played in just two games and looked awful before he was place on injured reserve with a foot injury. The Panthers won their first four games with backup Kyle Allen, but have lost five of their last six.
Of course, Tepper isn’t the only team owner looking for a new coach. The Redskins already fired Jay Gruden, and interim head coach Bill Callahan isn’t likely to get that gig on a long-term basis. The Cowboys, Giants, Jaguars, Jets, Browns, Lions, and Falcons are among the likely candidates to add their names to the annual in- and off-season purge that generally claims about a quarter of the league’s head coaches. Here are a few names of prospective candidates who could (and should) get looks — not only to replace Rivera, but to take their best shots at other potential openings.