Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera claims there is no bitterness upon his return to face the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton.
In nine seasons, Rivera guided the Panthers to four NFC South titles and a 2015 Super Bowl appearance. In December 2019, Rivera was let go as Panthers head coach, two days after losing to current team Washington. Less than a month later, Rivera was announced as the Washington Football Team head coach.
Sunday's game versus the Panthers isn't the first time Rivera has faced his former side. He lost to them with Washington in the penultimate game of the regular season last year. However, the upcoming matchup will be the first time Rivera returns to the Bank of America stadium as Washington coach.
Despite his history in Carolina, Rivera insists that there is no bitterness towards the Panthers coming into Sunday's game. When addressing his return to the Bank of America, Rivera said:
“I went and did the best I could, and when it was time to move on, [Panthers owner] David Tepper treated me with tremendous dignity and respect. He really did. He gave me an opportunity to say goodbye, and I really appreciated that.”
With an aging roster including Rivera's first-ever draft pick Newton, the organization decided to part ways with their head coach and veteran quarterback in 2019. Newton returned to the Panthers after a year with the New England Patriots.
Cam Newton may have rejoined the Panthers, but Ron Rivera has moved on to a new team. Now head coach of Washington, Rivera will look to prepare his team to face the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton on Sunday.
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