Amid another day of rough headlines for off-the-field issues and a day after releasing quarterback Carson Wentz, the Washington Commanders announced five changes to Ron Rivera’s coaching staff.
In the first moves of Eric Bieniemy, who took over as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach last week, Ken Zampese will move to the role of senior offensive advisor/game management and Tavita Pritchard will take over as Washington’s quarterback coach.
Pritchard, 36, spent more than a decade at Stanford, beginning when he joined the team as a quarterback in 2006. Most recently has served as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2018-2022. Before that, he coached quarterback/wide receivers (2014-2017) and running backs (2013) and served as a defensive assistant (2011-2012).
At the NFL combine, Rivera said that with Bieniemy had input on the staff changes, including brigning in Pritchard.
"He's been in one place for a long time, but it's been a pro-style type of offense," Rivera said of Pritchard. "He and Eric have a relationship, I think, for the last ten years. So, they're very familiar with each other and you see it when we brought Tavita in and sat down. I visited with him and interviewed him and then listened to his philosophies on football and his ideas and stuff. I could see why he and Eric are very similar."
Zampese, who was a candidate for the Commanders’ offensive coordinator role, will remain on the staff for his fourth season and his 25th of coaching in the NFL. The 55-year-old was the team’s QB coach since 2020.
The team announced the promotion of Brent Vieselmeyer, 47, to defensive backs coach after serving as Washington's assistant defensive backs/nickels coach (2020-2022).
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Richard Rodgers was promoted to senior defensive assistant/safeties after holding the title of assistant defensive backs coach (2020-2022). Rodgers, 61, came to Washington with Rivera from the Carolina Panthers where he served a variety of roles from 2012-2019, including stings as a safeties coach, secondary, coach and special teams coordinator.
Cristian Garcia, who held the title of defensive quality control the past two seasons, will assume the role of assistant defensive backs/nickels coach. This will be his third year coaching in the NFL.
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