The Washington Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer on Friday, one day after giving up 45 points to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.
It was the latest embarrassing defensive performance by Washington’s defense, leaving Rivera with almost no choice but to make a move.
After Rivera released a short statement thanking Del Rio and Vieselmeyer for their contributions, owner Josh Harris also released a statement saying he spoke with Rivera on Friday morning, and the coach informed him he felt it was in the best interest of the team to make changes to the defensive staff.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 24, 2023
We can speculate about Harris forcing Rivera’s hand, but does it matter? Del Rio and Vieselmeyer had to go. The Commanders had poured many resources into the defense, and it was the worst unit in the NFL. A significant part of the defensive struggles occurred in the secondary. Despite returning virtually everyone and adding a first and second-round pick to the mix, the secondary regressed badly under Vieselmeyer in 2023.