The Carolina Panthers have become the second NFL team to fire their head coach, as Ron Rivera is out after nine seasons with the team.
The franchise announced the move on Tuesday, following a 29-21 loss to the lowly Redskins on Sunday that dropped them to 5-7 on the season and all but officially out of the playoff race in the NFC. Owner David Tepper released a statement on the decision on the team’s website, noting that they will look to bring in someone that can modernize their approach to the game.
“We are going to take a comprehensive and thorough review of our football operation to make sure we are structured for long-term sustained success,” continued Tepper. “Our vision is to find the right mix of old-school discipline and toughness with modern and innovative processes. We will consider a wide range of football executives to complement our current football staff. One change that we will implement is hiring an assistant general manager and vice president of football operations. We all must recognize that this is the first step in a process, but we are committed to building and maintaining a championship culture for our team and our fans.”
Rivera went 76-63-1, including a run to the Super Bowl in the 2015-16 season, but the last few years have not gone as hoped as the team has struggled while franchise quarterback Cam Newton has battled various injuries.
Perry Fewell will be elevated to interim head coach from secondary coach, while Norv Turner will be “special assistant to the head coach,” and Scott Turner will take over as offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season.
