After nine years at the helm for the Carolina Panthers, Ron Rivera will be tasked with facing his former team in Week 16 as he tries to guide Washington to an NFC East title.
Rivera, who was fired by the Panthers late last season, said there’s no “getting revenge” storyline this week for him considering what’s at stake.
This late in the season it’s different,” he said, per John Keim of ESPN. “If this had been our opener, believe me it would be a highly emotional game. But it’s not. The consequences of this game is about this team, this organization, trying to be relevant and trying to take a step forward. I want to see us focus on the reasons why we want to win the game as opposed to a personal reason.”
Rivera went 76-63-1 while head coach of the Panthers, reaching the playoffs four times – including a trip to the Super Bowl in 2015.
“I do owe the franchise a lot,” Rivera said. “First opportunity as a head coach; we got to the Super Bowl. To me, this is not about that. This is about this organization growing and developing.”
After starting the season 2-7, Washington is now 6-8 and is boasting one of the best defenses in the NFL. It can clinch the NFC East with a win over the Panthers and Giants loss to the Ravens.
“This organization right now is more important than my personal situation,” Rivera added. “And I mean that. We’ve got 53 guys downstairs and a group of coaches that, we want to get into the playoffs. They want to get into the playoffs, and we want to do it for them and for us. So, we have to focus in on the game.”
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram
