NFL Rumors: Eagles eyeing Ron Rivera to correct playoff errors after firing Sean Desai
The Philadelphia Eagles are in search of a new defensive coordinator and Ron Rivera is apparently on the short list of candidates. The Eagles parted ways with former defensive coordinator Sean Desai this past week, as well as senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia.
The coaching changes come just days after the Eagles were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles will interview Ron Rivera, who was recently fired by the Washington Commanders. The former head coach hasn't been a defensive coordinator since 2010, when he was with the Chargers.
The team had one of the best defenses in the league at the time, something the Eagles obviously find intriguing. Rivera was a linebackers coach for the Eagles for four seasons up until 2003.
"Former #Commanders head coach Ron Rivera is interviewing with the #Eagles for their defensive coordinator position, per sources. The last time Rivera was a DC, his 2010 Chargers led the league in total defense."
The Eagles change defensive coordinators just one season after Sean Desai was hired. He took over when Jonathan Gannon left to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals after Super Bowl LVII.
While Patricia wasn't the coordinator, he did become the playcaller on defense towards the end of the season. Head coach Nick Sirianni made the switch but retained Desai as part of the defensive coaching staff.
How long has Ron Rivera been a coach in the NFL?
Ron Rivera began his coaching career by playing nine seasons as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears. In 1997, he was hired as the defensive quality control coach for the Bears, a position he held for just two seasons.
In 1999, he was hired by the Eagles as the linebackers coach, a position he held until 2003, when he returned to the Bears, this time as the defensive coordinator.
His time with the San Diego Chargers as defensive coordinator was from 2008 until 2010. That was until the Carolina Panthers hired him as head coach, his first experience in the role.
He was head coach of the Panthers for ten seasons, even leading them to Super Bowl 50, where they lost to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
The Washington Commanders hired Rivera in 2020; however, he was unable to find much success with the team after a brief playoff run in his first season.