Chicago Bears

Ron Rivera Fired as Carolina Panthers Head Coach

Rivera's teams reached the playoffs on four occasions during his tenure

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera walks off the field after a game against the Green Bay Packers.

The Carolina Panthers have fired head coach Ron Rivera after nine seasons, the team announced Tuesday.

Rivera, who played for the 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears and served as the defensive coordinator on the 2006 Bears squad that reached the Super Bowl, posted a 76-63-1 record in nearly nine full seasons in Charlotte, but has been relieved of his duties with four games left in the 2019 season.

Rivera was hired by the Panthers in 2011 and reached the playoffs on four occasions. The Panthers went 15-1 during a stellar 2015 season, but were defeated by the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

Panthers secondary coach Perry Fewell has been named as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“I believe this is the best decision for the long-term success of our team,” Panthers owner David Tepper said in a statement. “I have a great deal of respect for Ron and the contributions he has made to the franchise and to this community.”

After Rivera’s playing career ended, he served as a TV analyst for four seasons before being named a defensive quality control coach by the Bears in 1996. After five seasons as a linebackers coach with the Eagles, Rivera served as the Bears’ defensive coordinator for three seasons before being let go following the 2006 campaign.

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