Commanders fire Ron Rivera: Why his tenure ended this way as Josh Harris takes new direction

Josh Harris spent his first season as Commanders owner patiently. On the first day of his first full offseason, he wasted no time in writing a new chapter — perhaps his most important one as owner.

Harris fired Ron Rivera on Monday after an abysmal 4-13 campaign. Rivera finished 26-40-1 with zero winning seasons and zero playoff wins in Washington.

This was always going to be a transition season. Rivera called it “a relief” when Dan Snyder agreed to sell and relished the chance to focus solely on coaching as training camp opened. But he was dealt a tough hand for a coach facing an audition year. Harris didn’t officially take over until July, meaning a meager offseason for a roster in need of major upgrades. The Commanders didn’t even finalize their staff until days before kickoff, in early September. Most franchises had done so six months prior.

Rivera was staking his job on a little-improved roster and a second-year former fifth-rounder leading his team to the playoffs, something that hadn’t happened since 2001. The early returns on Sam Howell individually were positive, but a woeful defense hindered the win-loss column. So Rivera pivoted to hanging his hat on Howell. But even the good feelings there evaporated. Howell became the first Commanders quarterback to start every game in a season since Kirk Cousins in 2017, but, really it was two seasons wrapped into one.

Sam Howell

Weeks 1-10

Weeks 11-18

Yards per attempt

7

5.4<<

TD-Int

17-9

4-12<<

Expected points added per dropback

-0.03

-0.29<<

Passer rating

91.5

55.6<<

>> All worst or second-worst in NFL over span

With Howell sputtering and the defense torn apart, the final results were historically ugly.

Finished on eight-game losing streak, tied for the team’s longest losing streak in the last 50 yearsFranchise-record 518 points allowedZero Pro Bowlers for the first time since 1993

The first signs Rivera’s days were limited — and first major…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/commanders-fire-ron-rivera-why-his-tenure-ended-this-way-as-josh-harris-takes-new-direction/

Author : Zachary Pereles

Publish date : 2024-01-08 13:44:24

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